Bhangar overhead wire project nears completion

Kolkata: Negating the effects of Bhangar issue over setting up of the power-grid sub-station, the state government's special drive has almost ensured completion of the laying of 41.2 km overhead electric wires from Subhasgram to Sonakhali, that will benefit around 2.5 lakh residents of North and South 24-Parganas.

The special drive was taken up following a direction of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee in March and the project that had been pending for the past two and half years has been executed in a time period of just three months.

According to a senior official of the state government, the project is a crucial one as its completion was essential for better power supply to vast areas in both North and South 24-Parganas. But for certain reasons, it had not become possible to carry out the work in full swing.

It has only become possible after gaining confidence of the people in the area and the administration, with help of the district level officials, made around 400 people understand in the past three months that laying of the overhead wires is the "need of the time" to ensure that people can lead a better life in different parts of the two districts.

Reaching out to the people to make them understand about the benefits of the project was a crucial part of the special drive, besides the work of setting up the towers and laying of wires.

There was a need to set up 166 towers to lay the 41.2 km long overhead wires from Subhasgram to Sonakhali. Installation of 164 towers was completed six days ago and the work to set up the last tower had started on July 4.

Now, the project is nearing completion and the laying of the overhead wires is also almost complete.

It may be mentioned that out of the 41.2 km, the laying of 19 km overhead wires has been completed in the past three months. This comes when the work had been pending for the past two and a half years.

It may be mentioned that the laying of wires covering the last stretch of 7.2 km was carried out in full swing and the project is nearing completion.

With completion of the project, there will be supply of power from Sonakhali 132/33 KV sub-station to 33 KV sub-station at Jibantala, Gosaba, Dighirpar in South 24-Parganas. At the same time, there will also be transmission of power to 33 KV sub-station at Sarberia and Jaliakhali in North 24-Parganas. It will benefit 2.5 lakh people.