Mumbai: The Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) on Friday announced that it has finally received permission from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and commenced work on laying new cables that connect the East and West ends under the railway tracks near Marine Lines station, so that the power outage problem of Girgaum and Malabar Hill areas is resolved. The work will be part of Rs 20 crore sanctioned by the department for an action plan to prevent outages and will replace age-old cables of Girgaum.
Recurring Power Outages
Several parts of Girgaum were affected by recurring and longer power outages over the past two months. BEST officials said they were now moving to implement a permanent fix to prevent recurring outages in the area.
Work Details
The proposal involves digging a 300-metre trench in the C ward side and a 100-metre trench in the A ward side. Once the new cables are laid, the two ends will be connected through an existing pipe running beneath the railway tracks. The work can be completed in four to five days and will eliminate repeated faults linked to the old network, sources in the undertaking said.
Additional Measures
BJP member on the BEST committee Akash Purohit said Pathakwadi has been provided additional manpower and vehicles, with round-the-clock support for residents. He added that in the event of a power cut, a two-hour restoration plan is being followed, and senior BEST officials have been camping at Pathakwadi till late night to monitor the situation.
Wider Action Plan
The Girgaum plan is part of a wider push across the island city. BEST general manager Sonia Sethi recently announced a Rs 20-crore action plan aimed at preventing outages and ensuring faster restoration. The plan includes hiring around 690 field workers, transferring 127 drivers and 100 mechanics from the traffic division, setting up a dedicated call centre, hiring 350 DG sets for emergency supply, adding more emergency vehicles and aerial lifts, and establishing an additional fault control centre at Tardeo.
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About the Author: Somit Sen, Senior Editor at The Times of India, Mumbai. He covers stories on Power beat in Maharashtra and on Oil & Gas. He also covers RTO, BEST (Mumbai’s public transport buses), transport ministry, Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation, interstate transport (trucks/tempos) and the fleetcabs.
