Chennai: Dangling power lines death traps in Mogappair

CHENNAI: Live high tension electric wires with massive deflections pose a death hazard daily for at least one lakh families in Mogappair. With sudden rain, residents fear electrocution as wires snap.
None of the wires is insulated and many poles are on verge of collapsing . Nearly 100 km of the locality have overhead electric wires.
Live wires have not been replaced by Tangedco despite about 260 crore being allotted in 2018.In 2018, an internal communication, a copy of which is with TOI, by Tangedco admitted live wires were a death hazard for people.
The document said Tangedco cannot risk lives and hence, all overhead lines must be changed to underground. Four years later, nothing has progressed.
When TOI visited Venugopal Street, Bajana Kovil Street, Pari Road and JJ Nagar, live wires were seen with a huge deflective bend. On Pari Road, it was almost close to an MTC bus passing, while on Venugopal street, a concrete pole was on the verge of collapse.
"Overhead (OH) power lines have been a threat here for six years, and often left unnoticed by Tangedco. If one snaps, it would be instantaneous death to the person standing below,” said Ameer B, 46, a vendor and resident at Bajanai Kovil Street.
Vasanth Kumar R, 28, of Venugopal Street, said there hasn’t been a proper response from Tangedco. “These wires carry very high voltage current, Tangedco must ensure they are replaced with insulated wires before the monsoon."
TNEB officials in the division said they have been working towards the conversion of overhead (OH) lines to UG (underground) cables and 260 crore has been allotted to shift them to underground. An official claimed there was a lack of AAC cables in the market.
(With inputs from Christopher Miltus)