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Round-the-clock power supply a distant dream for Ghaziabad
The Paschimanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited’s (PVVNL) move to augment power infrastructure in the city under Integrated Power Development Scheme (IPDS) has hit the land hurdle. As a result, plans to construct six 33/11 KV sub stations across the city is hanging fire.
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“For a long time, we were working on a plan to provide round-the-clock power supply for which we needed to enhance the infrastructure. Unfortunately that is not happening anytime soon,” said PVVNL chief engineer SK Gupta. “There are at least six places where we urgently need to build 33/11 KV sub stations but neither GDA or GMC are in a position to provide land for it,” Gupta added. “Every time we request GDA and GMC we are told that no land is available. This has been happening for the last two months and if this continues, I am afraid it will have an adverse effect on the already declining power situation,” Gupta claimed.
Of the six places where the power department needs land, four are in the trans Hindon area whereas the rest are within the city. “In trans Hindon area we need 2,200 to 2,400 sqm of land at Pasonda, near Haj House and at Delhi border while in the city, land is required at Chipiyana and Model Town. In fact we can manage with 1,500 to 1,800 sqm of land but we are not getting even that,” Gupta alleged.
The primary reason why the civic agencies are reluctant to part with the land is because the rule says the land has to be given for free and the agencies have reservations over it.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav has also set a target to provide 16-hours of power supply in rural areas and 22-24 hours supply in urban areas. This was promised in his party’s manifesto in the 2012 Assembly elections. But as things stand now, 24-hours of uninterrupted power supply at least in Ghaziabad is a distant dream and this is bound to have repercussions for the party in the upcoming Assembly elections. Earl Thomas III Jersey
