Urban domestic power cables to go underground before polls: Min

Ponda: With around 50% work on 11kV lines and 20% work on low tension (LT) domestic power lines complete, govt has set its sights on completing the shifting of 11kV lines across the state and LT lines in urban areas underground before the 2027 assembly elections.Power minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar told reporters on the sidelines of a programme at Ponda recently that govt would move the lines underground.Each electric feeder presently has 18-20 transformers attached to it, and if even one transformer develops any kind of a snag, supply to all lines attached to the feeder has to be shut.“But once the cables go underground, only a particular transformer would be shut to address the problem. This will keep the remaining transformers electrified,” the minister explained.Although there are no plans for underground cabling of LT lines in rural areas, 100% underground cabling of urban LT lines will be done before the elections, he said.