Electrical Circle of Public Works Department (PWD) will have to play the role of referee on the issue of infringement of cable sets of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited and that of Maha Metro within city limits. Chief Engineer, Nagpur Circle, Dilip Ghughal, has written to Superintending Engineer, Nagpur Region, Electrical Circle, flagging its concern due to mixing up of cable pairs of Metro with that of its own. The letter from CE followed the sharing of data from field office that Metro's 132 KV cable is laid just inches above the 11 KV cable of MSEDCL at some sports in city. Considering the report, Ghughal said he has communicated with Superintending Engineer, Nagpur Region, of Electrical Circle, asking later to suggest a viable solution for either of the parties. Before charging of 132 KV cable, Metro any how has to seek permission of office of Electricity Inspector.

 

 

Before the final nod, a detailed inspection is done by EI to ensure all safety measures are in place before charging the cable. The office of Electrical Circle or Electricity Inspector falls under Public Works Department and thus is an autonomous in nature. It adjudicates matters relating to power disputes and deaths due to electrocution. Any agency laying new set of power cable needs approval of Electricity Circle before charging the cable. Maha Metro has two sub-stations in city, one behind Matru Seva Sangh and other one at Patwardhan Ground, and they are being powered by 132 KV cables. To provide power to these stations, Metro is laying its power cable from Mankapur sub-station of Maharashtra State Transmission Company Limited (MahaTransco).

 

On way to these two sub-stations, the contractor engaged by Maha Metro has overlapped its 132 KV cable with that of MSEDCL's 11 KV cable. The intrusion has happened at four to five places in the city that is dangerous for future time and realising the problems that may occur that time, MSEDCL swiftly moved Electrical Circle for rectification purpose. The 132 KV power cable is first of its kind to be laid in urban areas that so far were being fed by 11 KV cables that inter-connection MSEDCL sub-stations. In future in case of any fault and MSEDCL technicians needs to pull up the 11 KV cable the emerging situation would be catastrophic to say. This is so as by-passing 132 KV cable would not be possible in a bid to reach the 11 KV cable that would be deep below and for that the former's power supply would be needed to be switched off. The current volume in 132 KV is so huge and one cannot even think of lifting the same and laying it by side and reaching the 11 KV pair below.

 

Thus looking at future scenario, particularly during monsoon when power breakdown frequently occurs, the 11 KV cable would need repairing and hence MSEDCL bosses are seeking an urgent resolution to the problem. In fact, as per experts in the electricity field 132 KV cable must have a dedicated pathway that is not blocking or crossing any other utility. This is a primary feature as 132 KV cable has very high voltage and switching its power on an off means paralysing some bigger services. And in city, this means Metro services would need to be stopped till the fault is rectified by MSEDCL team in case it is to occur near place of infringement.