Work on laying underground HT power lines gathers pace.

A part of North Boulevard comprising Gingee Salai, Vaithikuppam and Kuruchikuppam is likely to be energised by March this year with the work on laying of high-tension underground cables for the 110/11 kV Venkata Nagar sub-station progressing as per schedule.

The project funded by the World Bank at a cost of ₹14.90 crore was started in November 2016 by the Project Implementation Agency (PIA) under the Coastal Disaster Risk Reduction Project (CDRRP).

“The laying of underground cable lines in the city is a major step towards creating better infrastructure. About 16.2 km of overhead HT lines will be converted into underground lines. Laying of cables was going on in Gingee Salai, Paper Mill and the Chief Secretariat.

The work includes setting up new feeders at Gingee Salai, Chief Secretariat, Paper Mill, Clock Tower, and Muthialpet,” D. Stephen Joseph, Executive Engineer (Electricals) of PIA told The Hindu.

The cable-laying work taken up on Gingee Salai, Vaithikuppam and Kuruchikuppam is expected to be completed by March while the part comprising Muthialpet and Solai Nagar would be energised in another five months, Mr. Joseph said. The official said that the cable-laying work was taken up only at night. The underground cable network was a safe method of power transmission and with conversion of overhead lines to underground cables, there would be reduction in line fault and it would ensure uninterrupted power supply.

An official of the Electricity Department said the Marappalam substation was already overloaded leading to frequent tripping and voltage fluctuations.

The cable-laying work on completion would ensure quality and uninterrupted power supply and improve the load reduction at Marappalam.

The laying of underground cables in several parts of the city had been causing inconvenience to road users forcing them to take alternative routes.

Although the roads were dug up, they were not re-laid properly because of poor planning by the authorities concerned.

THE HINDU