Can Bangalore withstand rain's fury Part 2

CAN WE COPE?
Shock may kill you before water does
Deccan Herald

Cost is the limiting factor for laying the less-dangerous underground high tension wires.

If the ‘flood’ gates were to open in Bangalore, it would not just be the issues of roti, kapda and makaan that will give Bangaloreans the worry lines. Bijli and paani could even make them shake with fear.

For, it was only three months ago when an evening of downpour killed a parking lot attendant outside Cubbon Park. Cause: Electrocution.

Also not so long ago, cases of cholera and gastro-enteritis surfaced from various parts of the city, mainly affecting infants from slum areas. Cause: Contaminated drinking water following the rains.

The nearly-drowning Mumbai reported thirteen cases of electrocutions, despite their power lines being underground. Bangalore does not even have that saving grace — less than 40 per cent of high tension wires are underground, and as for the low tension wires, a measly 4 per cent!

The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) admits a city like Bangalore requires underground cables, but cost seems to be the limiting factor. While the cost of laying overhead cables is Rs 4 lakh per route kilometre, it will take eight times the amount to lay it underground.

“For covering 20,000 km of the city, it will require an investment of Rs 4,500 crore, which is not feasible,” says N Satyanarayana, Chief Engineer of Bescom’s Bangalore Metropolitan Area Zone.

So now the department is opting for a mid-way alternative, in the form of ‘Aerial Bunched Conductors’ (ABC). The cost factor in ABC, which comprises an overhead, but insulated conductors, comes somewhere between overhead and underground systems. Bescom has already covered 70 km under this system in the past six months, focussing on congested areas like Jayanagar, ISRO Layout and Magadi Road. “This system is recommended, but it has not been made mandatory yet. We have written to the Karnataka Electricity Regulatory Commission to make it compulsory in all new layouts. Such a system will be effective in reducing accident risks during the rains,” Satyanarayana said.

However, the chief engineer assures there will be no long days without electricity, even if cloudbursts do occur in Bangalore.

“Whenever any one of our 600 feeders trips during heavy rains, either due to tree falling or leakages, we do not switch on the power lines till we visually inspect the feeders. But we have an alert team of workers, so it will not take long before power supply is resumed,” explains Satyanarayana. “On May 21, following heavy rains, 690 poles were down in areas like J P Nagar and Basavanagudi. But we restored power within twenty-four hours,” he adds.

BWSSB

Water, water everywhere, but will Bangaloreans have water to drink? Bangalore Water Supply and Sewerage Board (BWSSB) promises they will. “Cases of drinking water mixing with the sewage lines are very rare, so the public has no reason to worry. It could happen due to leakage in pipes or old water connections, but we constantly inspect our lines to ensure that no such problems occur,” says Guruprasad Baily, Chief Engineer, BWSSB.

BWSSB is also planning to buy another 10 sewage jetting and sucking machines, to add to its fleet of 36, which will allow instant choke clearance in drains and pipes. “We have six maintenance divisions that work night shifts for any emergency work. We are ready for any eventuality, even if the city faces floods, there will be no drinking water problem,” says Baily.

THIS IS WHAT THE FIGURES SAY

Type of Line: Overhead (inroute km), Underground (in km), Overhead (in %), Underground (in %)

11 KV High Tension: 3720, 957, 66.53, 34 line

400 KV Low Tension line: 12,652, 592, 95.5, 4.5