NEW DELHI: Last year Union finance minister Arun Jaitey had allocated Rs 200 crore for upgrading Delhi’s dilapidated electricity transmission network. This was the result of multiple trippings the previous month which had led to severe outages in Delhi in June. Eight months after the allocation was made, the city is yet to get the benefit of the special grant to Delhi as the projects awarded with central funds are still being processed.
According to sources in the Delhi power department, three major transmission projects— a new transformer in Bamnauli, a new overhead transmission line from Harsh Vihar to Patparganj and strengthening of the existing transmission line from Geeta Colony to Wazirpur—had been identified for funding by the central grant. The total cost of these projects was estimated to be about Rs 230 crore, and an additional Rs 30 crore was to be given by Delhi government. “Contracts for these projects have already been awarded to Power Grid Corporation and work will begin shortly. Delhiites will be able to see improvements in the city’s power transmission lines by May,” said a senior official.
Providing the special fund was an unprecedented step. Delhi government has not been able to improve the transmission network in keeping with the growing demand for power. The city is expected to see the peak power demand cross 6,000MW this year, which will require regular improvements in the network to carry the enhanced power load across the city. The consumer base— domestic and commercial—has also increased by 20%, leading to a huge surge in demand. Most of the city’s transmission network belongs to the DVB era and discoms have been complaining for long that the outages are a result of the poor infrastructure.
The three projects target various parts of Delhi for improved connectivity and supply. The new transformer in Bamnauli will ensure better power supply in west Delhi while the new Harsh Vihar-Patparganj transmission line will be a big boost. “Currently, power from the Dadri station comes via Harsh Vihar and Geeta Colony to reach east Delhi residents. The new line will be an alternate route that will improve supply there,” said officials. The improvement in the Geeta Colony-Wazirabad line will make the line strong enough to carry double the existing load in this corridor, which officials say will be benefit east and central Delhi residents.
The power department said they had also improved infrastructure by commissioning new sub-stations in Wazirpur and Peeragarhi and a 400 kv substation in Harsh Vihar. Delhi’s transmission network has been under focus, especially after multiple trippings in power lines in June 2014 following a massive storm in Delhi.
