In the wake of basements getting inundated after a spate of heavy rains in the last few weeks, several residents in affected areas had to spend days without electricity as they had installed transformers, power panels and electricity meters in the basements. Given the safety hazard, the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) had no option but to cut off power supply.
Bescom has now decided to issue notices to apartments with electrical installations in their basements. Residents will be given time to shift the transformers to prevent damage in the event of recurrence of flooding.
Announcing this here on Thursday, Energy Minister D.K. Shivakumar said the power utility, which will soon take up a survey to identify such apartments, will first tackle apartments in areas that were worst hit by the rains. Bescom will help residents install electrical installations. “If required, it will share designs where transformers, meters and panels can be installed at a height,” Mr. Shivakumar said. “Every year, following heavy rainfall, basements of nearly 50 buildings in H.S.R. Layout’s Sector 6 and nearly 40 buildings in Koramangala 4th Block are flooded. As a safety measure, power supply is cut and restored only after the water is pumped out and electrical installations are completely dry. Until then, residents of these buildings have to make do without electricity,” he added
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Over the past week, Bescom staff have been on the field ensuring power disruption following the rains has been minimal, he said.