In order to prevent heavy vehicles with high roofs from crashing into power lines, and potentially causing disruptions to the power grid in The Nilgiris, the TANGEDCO is to install more than 3,000 new electricity poles, which have higher clearance from the road surface.
Speaking to The Hindu, J Kalaiselvi, Superintending Engineer, Nilgiris Electricity Distribution Circle, said that the older poles were of 27 and 30-feet in height respectively. However, they would be replaced by poles which are of 36 and 40-feet.
In Udhagamandalam alone, 1,315 poles are to be installed in the coming months, while the rest would be installed in Coonoor and Gudalur. The project is to cost around Rs. 20 crore.
“As the roads have been re-laid, the clearance between the road surface and the poles have decreased over the years. So the newer poles are a lot higher than the old ones. The installation of these new poles will remedy the situation,” Mrs. Kalaiselvi said.
Apart from the new poles, 53 new transformers are also to be installed in Udhagamandalam.
Officials said that the installation of the poles, and other accompanying projects will lead to localised power cuts across the district till December. “We don’t have any power cuts in The Nilgiris. Power will be disconnected in the coming months only to ensure better efficacy of distribution by installing the new poles and transformers,” an official with the TANGEDCO said.
