Following an incident at Chikkabanavara Circle in the early hours of Saturday, where a tipper lorry pulled down 35 LT electric poles, breaking them in the drag and causing damage to about 6,000 installations within and around BESCOM’s Jalahalli division.
This led to power disruption in parts of Hesaraghatta, Soladevanahalli and Chikkabanavara. An official of Bescom said that it happened at approximately 2:20 a.m. on Chikkabanavara – Hesaraghatta main road.
“The wire got caught under the wheels while pulling down the poles, hence he dragged these poles from chikka banawara circle till santhe beedi. It was only after an auto-rickshaw driver screamed out at him that he realized what he had done,” the reader stated.
This has resulted into interruption to supply for thirty four transformers. Extensive work is currently going on for replacing broken poles as well as restoration of power. “By afternoon we will restore electricity to minimum thirty transformers. By evening time all damaged poles will have been replaced with new ones”, clarified this officer. The accident caused infrastructure damage worth around rupees five lakhs.
They added that they had also lodged a complaint against the person involved with police administration. Police reports from Chikkabanavara Traffic police indicated that the truck was carrying m-sand and its driver was lethargic just before this mishap occurred. Thereafter, a JCB machine was called in order to clear off sand which had spilled over along the road; meanwhile, Mani, the tipper driver has already been arrested by police personnel who were present at that place.
Though reports from inside Bescom indicate that during occurrence of this event hawker (driver) was drunker than skunked up; on other side, cops are yet awaiting medical examination results for confirmation.
