Mangaluru's Major Power Infrastructure Upgrade: Rs 304 Crore Underground Cabling Project Sanctioned
The Karnataka state government has given its official sanction for a comprehensive underground cabling project of Mescom power lines across key urban areas in Mangaluru. This ambitious infrastructure initiative carries an approximate cost of Rs 304 crore and represents a significant upgrade to the city's electrical distribution network.
Project Scope and Geographical Coverage
The underground cabling work will be implemented across the Ullal, Kotekar, and Someshwar urban local bodies, along with specific sections of the Mannagudda and Kavoor subdivisions within Mangaluru city. Currently, underground cabling exists only in limited pockets such as the State Bank and Jeppu areas, making this new project a substantial expansion of modernized infrastructure.
Legislative Assembly Speaker UT Khader informed reporters on Wednesday that the tendering process for this massive undertaking has been successfully finalized, with work orders officially issued back in March. Physical implementation is expected to commence shortly, beginning with an extensive ground survey anticipated to require approximately three-and-a-half months to complete.
Detailed Breakdown of Project Components and Costs
The Ullal, Someshwar, and Kotekar segment represents the largest portion of the project with an allocation of Rs 186.4 crore. This phase includes the installation of 144.1 kilometers of high-tension (HT) lines and 223.4 kilometers of low-tension (LT) lines. Additionally, aerial bunched cables will be strategically installed over 12 kilometers in flood-prone regions including Uliya, Margathale, and other vulnerable locations.
For the Mannagudda sub-division, works valued at Rs 67 crore will cover prominent areas such as Kudroli, Bejai, KSRTC, and Urva Stores. This segment involves laying 62.8 kilometers of HT lines and 45.7 kilometers of LT lines. Meanwhile, the Kavoor sub-division project, estimated at Rs 51 crore, will focus on Airport Road and adjoining neighborhoods with 47.4 kilometers of HT lines and 48.7 kilometers of LT lines planned.
All project components will be executed simultaneously, with an expected completion timeline of 24 months from commencement.
Long-Term Vision and Technical Specifications
Speaker UT Khader emphasized that this infrastructure project has been meticulously planned with the region's anticipated growth over the next three to four decades in mind. He acknowledged that underground cabling systems cost nearly twice as much as traditional overhead arrangements but highlighted numerous advantages including enhanced protection from extreme weather conditions, improved public safety, reduced maintenance requirements, greater reliability of power supply, prevention of electricity theft, and significant improvement to urban aesthetics.
The technical specifications mandate that all cables be laid at a depth of 1.5 meters below ground level. Following completion of the cabling work, modern modular streetlights will be installed throughout the project areas, further enhancing urban infrastructure.
Coordination and Additional Power Infrastructure Upgrades
Khader recently chaired a crucial coordination meeting with officials from multiple agencies including Mescom, the National Highways Authority of India, the public works department, Mangaluru City Corporation, and the water supply department. During this meeting, he urged all departments to ensure timely execution of their respective responsibilities and appealed to the public for cooperation, acknowledging that the construction work might cause temporary inconveniences.
In related power infrastructure developments, approval has been granted to upgrade the 32 kV power station in Ullal to a more robust 110 kV capacity. Additionally, proposals have been submitted to upgrade the 10 kV station in Konaje to 20 kV and establish a completely new 20 kV station, for which Mangalore University has been formally requested to allocate one acre of land. There is also a proposal under consideration to upgrade the Kotekar power station from 10 kV to 20 kV capacity.
Mescom Managing Director Jayakumar was present during these important discussions, underscoring the collaborative approach being taken to implement these critical infrastructure improvements across Mangaluru's power distribution network.
