Delhi govt okays plan to cover all naked electricity wires under its new policy

NEW DELHI: The Delhi cabinet approved a policy to convert the 2,264-km of the bare 11kV wire network in the city to an insulated one, mainly to prevent the risks inherent in bare electricity wires. On Saturday, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal instructed the departments concerned to implement the policy. Delhi government is also working on putting the power wires underground.
After the cabinet approved the policy to convert the 11kV bare conductors to insulated ones, the CM said that uninsulated power wires hanging over the streets marred the look of Delhi and posed a threat to life and property. The policy, presented to the cabinet by the power department, was unanimously approved in consideration of the safety of life and property of Delhiites.
“It is the state government’s duty to provide safety as well as facilities to the people of Delhi at every level. Therefore, this policy has been cleared to prevent the danger to life and property that bare conductors pose. Converting the bare conductors to insulated ones will also bring about a monumental change in the supply infrastructure,” said the CM.
Kejriwal added that Delhi government was working on putting the electric wires underground. “This will make them completely safe and prevent accidents,” he said. In August 2018, the power department had been empowered to shift high-tension (11kV, 33kV and 66kV) and low-tension (400V) power transmission lines underground.
In March 2020, the cabinet had discussed the 'Jagmagati Delhi' project and directed the power distribution companies to submit a proposal to insulate the entire network of bare transmission wires. The 11kV network is maintained by the three distribution companies, or discoms, namely TPDDL, BRPL and BYPL. Of the 2,264 km of the network, TPDDL will insulate 1,270 km, BYPL 29km and BRPL, 965 km.
The finance department provided the power department Rs 25 crore in the 2021-22 financial year for the conversion under the Jagmagati Delhi programme.
The areas where the 11 kV bare conductors are to be converted to an insulated network have been identified by the power department. These include regularised as well as unauthorised colonies, urbanised villages, resettlement colonies and colonies established under the 20-point programme in rural areas or in rural localities, such as in lal dora and extended lal dora areas. Unauthorised colonies with the name and registration number and other property details of the respective revenue village or areas through which the 11 kV bare conductor passes are also included in the exercise under the new policy.
The power department will now issue sanction letters to the discoms to carry out the proposed work in their respective jurisdictions. The companies will obtain permission from the departments concerned, if necessary, for the conversion project. Delhi Transco Limited will submit the verification inspection report with photographs before and after completion of the project and certify whether the work has been carried out as per the prescribed norms, terms and conditions. The money spent on the work will be released to the power distribution companies on completion of the conversion.