Indian Express 22.06.2010
Electricity poles in middle of road, no end to traffic snarls
Raakhi Jagga Tags : power, development Posted: Tue Jun 22 2010, 05:00 hrs
On the Lodhi Club Road, work is going on in full swing to erect lines for the New Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar feeder. Electricity poles are being erected in the middle of the road. While half the area is in the territory of councillor Tanvir Singh Dhaliwal, the other half comes under Congress councillor Hari Singh Brar. Both have a difference of opinion on the issue.
Dhaliwal says, “The poles are being erected along the slip road and hence bypass is not being touched. The new development should be welcomed.”
Brar, however, said, “The choice of place is not right at all. It sounds strange as to why poles are being erected after covering three-foot area of the road and why not at the start of the slip road. This will lead to many accidents. It is also strange that the MC is giving money to shift poles and at the same time sleeping over the wrong installation of poles.”
Officials are in a hurry to erect the lines because electricity has to be supplied to new buildings under construction in this area, including a hotel which is fully operational, at the earliest. This hotel is running on a generator as of now. Chief engineer P S Gill said, “I will ask my team to get the location checked if it is obstructing the traffic. I will ask them to change the place. But there must be some reason to choose this place. I cannot comment on this at the moment.”
Lodhi Club not alone
In Sardar Nagar area, street fights are on following the erection of an electricity pole. Owners of two factories want better supply for their area and hence a new pole is being erected, in front of someone else’s house that has caused unrest in the lane. Gill assured to look into the matter.
6 poles in Tagore Nagar
Six electricity poles are lying in the middle of the main Postal Colony leading to Tagore Nagar A. “These are causing traffic hazard,” said Pawan Sood, general secretary of the Tagore Nagar Social Welfare Society. The society has been in touch with MC and electricity department officials since 2003, but since the MC has failed to deposit the shifting amount with the electricity department, about 8-foot area is lying unused and causing traffic jams. Gill said: “MC has deposited a very little amount. Huge money is needed for the job.”
