Foggy days around, poles in middle of streets haunt commuters

Harshraj singh

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 13

Years have passed, but the authorities concerned have failed to remove high-tension wires and poles from the middle of roads in Asha Puri, Raghunath Enclave and surrounding areas of ward no 74.

During the polls, residents are always promised that such poles will be removed at the earliest, but to no avail.

When days become foggy, these electricity poles give an invitation to tragedies. However, authorities seem to be in a deep slumber. Area residents have requested the MLA concerned, but in vain.

A shopkeeper at Asha Puri informed that several accidents have taken place in the area but nothing has been done to get these poles shifted. “It is a residential area and these poles pose a threat to several lives. Many a time, especially during the night, commuters could not see the poles. We have requested to current as well as previous MLAs about the issue, but in vain.”

A group of residents told that even reflectors have not been displayed properly at several poles. “The chances of major tragedy can’t be ruled out. Even wires pass over some houses in the area. The PSPCL and Municipal Corporation should find out a solution to provide us relief at the earliest. The commuters are forced to pass through a space between two parallel poles,” said one of the residents.

Ward 74 Councillor Pankaj Sharma said it was a major issue in the area for. “Even Cabinet Minister Bharat Bhushan Ashu has raised the issued with the higher authorities in Chandigarh. I will talk to the minister once again as accidents generally take place due to these poles in the middle of roads. The PSPCL must shift these wires as residents suffer a lot.”

PSPCL Chief Engineer DIS Grewal said residents could ask the civic body to submit a request for shifting of poles and the PSPCL would make an estimate for the same. Once the estimate amount for shifting poles is submitted by the civic body, the PSPCL would start shifting poles, he said.

Civic body should make a request first: PSPCL

Chief Engineer of PSPCL DIS Grewal said residents could ask the civic body to submit a request for shifting the poles. After that the PSPCL would make an estimate for the same. Once the estimate for shifting the poles is approved by the civic body, the PSPCL would start shifting these, he said.