Residents in the western parts of the city have long been suffering from power cuts every year due to major technical faults.
Last week several residential areas in and around Avadi suffered a blackout after a technical snag in the feeder line of the 230-kilo volt (KV) Alamathy substation for a few days.
During last year’s Cyclone Vardah also, the residents had to face power disruptions for more than six days as poles and transformers were damaged .
T. Sadagopan, consumer activist in Pattabhiram, said the western suburbs beyond Ambattur have become fast growing residential areas. Areas like Avadi, Pattabhiram, Menambedu, Nemilichery, Thirumullaivoyal and Thiruninravur have become thickly populated residential areas over the past decade but face power disruptions as they lag behind in electricity infrastructure.
The residents blame the poor maintenance of the feeder line inside a defunct company in Pattabhiram and slow progress of the substation work in Mitnamallee for the frequent power cuts.
A senior official of the Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation said several electricity projects have been lined up for strengthening the city’s western suburbs. One is the ₹9.06 crore 33/11 KV substation (SS) at Mitnamallee, expected to be completed by year end.
Similarly, new distribution projects have been planned for which work would start soon. Tangedco would be establishing double feeder lines of 110 KV capacity with high end conductors replacing the single line from Alamathy 400 KV SS to Thirumullaivoyal 110 KV SS and Alamathy 400 KV SS to Thiruninravur 110 KV SS. Both these projects were being done at a cost of ₹22.45 crore, officials said.
