Shifting of power lines in Faridabad sector affected due to lack of material, funds

Bijendra Ahlawat

Faridabad, February 27

The project of shifting the high tension (HT) power lines from a residential pocket here has been stuck due to the non-availability of material and preparation of the fund estimates, it is reported. The work is to be carried out by the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPNL) and Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) in their fields, respectively.

While the HVPNL is yet to remove the HT line of 66 kilovolt (kV) passing over a residential colony of Sector 3 here due to the unavailability of material, the DHBVN has been in the process of preparing the budget estimates for shifting some lines of 11 kV passing over a number of residential colonies in the city.

A few years ago, the state government had announced that the lines posing a risk to the lives of residents in various localities here be shifted, sources said.

A delegation of the residents of Sector 3 had recently taken up the matter with the authorities, expressing their concerns over the delay in the shifting work. Subhash Lamba, an RWA representative of the colony, said while as many as 12 lives were lost in various accidents caused by electrocution due to the power lines passing close to the houses, the shifting work that had started in 2021 had not been completed so far. He said the colony was carved out by HSVP more than 25 years ago under the power lines passing from here.

The administrative approval and budget allocation was done roughly 43 months ago for the shifting of the 66 kV line in the sector. The work remains stalled as the department is yet to get the towers installed. According to sources, funds to the tune of Rs 41.10 lakh had been released by the HSVP for HVPNL in March 2022.

Besides, the problem was persistent in more than 300 locations across the city as many colonies had come up in the areas where the lines had already been passing over them, said an official.

HVPNL Executive Engineer Hans Raj said while stubbing for poles had been done in the sector, the work would be resumed as soon as the towers were available. At least three towers were required for the work, he said.

DHBVN Superintending Engineer Naresh Kakkar said the estimates for shifting around 40 to 45 lines of 11 kV in the city were being prepared.