Hyderabad: Hundreds of localities in Greater Hyderabad went without power for over 16 hours due to rain and strong winds, with Padmaraonagar, Malkajgiri, Mirjalguda and Rajendernagar experiencing power disruption for more than 24 hours.
This left the citizens without water, cable TV link, broad band connectivity and ATM facility. Heavy gales and rain hit the city and several parts of Mahbubnagar, Medak and Ranga Reddy districts from 9pm on Saturday.
Damages in GHMC area
In parts of Narayanguda, Padmaraonagar and Malkajgiri, harried residents staged dharna on Sunday evening as power supply was not restored. Officials said it would take more than 48 hours to restore supply in some areas where 11 kv conductors like supply lines and poles were damaged and new poles had to be erected that would take time.
The weekend enjoyment was spoilt for most residents due to power break down and trees being uprooted causing traffic jams. The problems continued through Sunday in many localities. Denizens of this so-called “global-standards city in-the-making” are likely to suffer through it all again and again for five more years due to trees falling on electrical lines. There was a plan a few years back to plant strong species of trees which can withstand heavy winds of up to 60-kmph but the project did not take off.
Though GHMC claimed that altogether 210 trees were uprooted Saturday night, citizens say the number was more than 500. Most of these trees were peltophorum and subabul that are not deep-rooted.
“On May 6, when the city was hit by heavy winds of over 74-kmph and rain, it was decided that strong trees that can withstand high winds would be planted but it would take five years for them to grow,” GHMC Commissioner Dr B Janardhan Reddy said.
TSSPDCL chairman and MD G Raghuma Reddy said gale and rain uprooted many trees. In some places, flexisheets from the huge hoardings too fell, resulting in damage to power supply infrastructure.
“Over 14 of 33kv feeder interruptions and 151 of 11 kv feeder interruptions were recorded last night in GHMC area and almost 95 per cent of the feeders were rectified and charged,” he said, admitted that in some places power supply was yet to be restored even by Sunday evening and that special teams have been formed to do the job on a war footing. Hundreds of ATMS went kaput without power supply. The worst-hit area was Secunderabad.
Several areas getting supply from the following feeders went without power supply for more than 16-hours: Azamabad, Ramnagar, Vidyanagar, Bathkamma Kunta, Addagutta, Shantiniketan, Tagores Home feeder, Tukaram Gate, Praga Tools, Dandu Pentaiah, Chilkalguda, Padmarao-nagar, new Bhoiguda, West Marredpally, Teachers Colony, PG Road, James Street, SP College, Zamistanpur, Gymkhana, Prashant Nagar, Saleemnagar and Durganagar were hit.
