Power line falls on busy road

Power line falls on busy road

The Hindu

BANGALORE, MARCH 14. A high-voltage wire snapped and fell on the busy Dr. Ambedkar Road in Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) on Monday afternoon, and pedestrians and motorists had a providential escape.

Alert road-users immediately sealed off the area and diverted vehicles. But they had to wait for nearly an hour before electricians from HAL switched off power supply. Dr. Ambedkar Road, connecting L.B. Shastri Nagar to Airport Road, was busy as usual with motorists and pedestrians heading for the HAL market. Around 1 p.m., they watched in horror as the high-tension line snapped and fell across the road.

A few road-users took the initiative to block the road with boulders. Vehicles from both sides were diverted, and pedestrians, particularly schoolchildren, were told not to use the road. Soon, there was a long line of vehicles on the road as the wait continued for Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) personnel or HAL electricians to reach the spot.

Frantic telephone calls were made to BESCOM and HAL. A team of electricians who were repairing streetlights refused to help.

It took an hour for the HAL team to repair the line.