TNN | Jun 25, 2014, 12.33 AM IST
KOCHI: Overhead high-tension (HT) lines hanging across roads along the Kochi Metro rail alignment will soon be either removed or raised. The Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) has started work on installing underground cables or increasing the height of towers that carry the lines.
The Kochi Metro Rail Ltd (KMRL) has also initiated measures to purchase land where KSEB has erected towers for drawing high-tension lines. "KMRL has asked us to start the survey work prior to the acquisition of land where KSEB's 21 HT tower lines have been erected. Though KMRL will purchase the land, KSEB will maintain the towers," an official with the revenue department said. Sources said that KMRL has plans to use the basement of towers to provide cable ducts for the Metro rail.
According to KSEB officials, at five points along the Aluva-Vyttila stretch the height of towers will be increased while they convert overhead (OH) lines into underground (UG) cables. At another six points, HT towers of 66kV and 110kV will be elevated. "You need to lay HT lines across the national highway only at a height of about 6.4 metres. But when it comes to the Metro rail project, the height of HT lines should be 27 metres," said Pradeep K P, deputy chief engineer, KSEB transmission wing.
The work of converting the OH line in to UG cables has been completed at Kalamassery. The work on increasing the height of HT tower near CUSAT junction has started. The work is being done by DMRC under the supervision of KSEB officials.
But KSEB has not been able to remove OH lines passing parallel to the alignment of the Metro rail. "We will remove all lines crossing the roads along Metro's alignment. But when it comes to OH lines, drawn parallel to the alignment of Metro rail, we can't remove all of them," said V V Sathyaraj, chief engineer, KSEB distribution wing.
"In certain areas where we have enough land for utility ducts, we will be able to replace OH lines with UG cables. But in many places land is not available for the purpose," he said. Under the Restructured Accelerated Power Development and Reforms Programme (RAPDRP), KSEB has plans to replace all OH lines in the city with UG cables. But the project has reached nowhere resulting in KSEB's electric posts protruding onto roads posing a serious threat to the public. KSEB's electric posts, erected many years ago, have rusted over the years.