PICKING UP SPEED: Underground cabling works in progress on the Raj Bhavan Road in Hyderabad. — PHOTO: P.V. SIVAKUMAR

HYDERABAD: A few select, busy areas in the twin cities have been identified by the Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Company Limited (APCPDCL) officials to take up the much delayed underground cabling of power lines at a fast pace.

The Panjagutta-Khairatabad stretch, Raj Bhavan, Liberty-Narayanguda section, Rasoolpura and a few parts of Charminar section have been identified for laying underground power lines covering 120 km.

The underground electricity cabling project has been pending since two years due to a variety of reasons and officials working closely with the project informed that Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy wanted them to speed up the works at any cost.

YSR's directive

"The Chief Minister's intervention has spurred us into action to begin the works near Raj Bhavan. He personally directed us to complete the works in busy areas within a few months. We are hoping to get work orders at four other locations in a few days," said a top APCPDCL official.

APCPDCL officials also pointed out that the Municipal Corporation of Hyderabad is most likely to give a nod for taking up road cutting in several of these regions.

"In some parts, already road widening works are complete and that's why we can go ahead with the digging work," the official said.

APCPDCL officials would take another three to four months to complete the underground cabling works at these locations.

Officials informed that currently, APCPDCL would take up only 350 km of underground cabling at a cost of Rs. 350 crores. "We are still facing stiff resistance from locals because they do not want us to work even during nights because of the sound from the compressors used in road cutting. We completed such works at Banjara Hills Road no 1, 2 and 36 within 18 days before the Congress plenary and we can do this work also at a fast pace," a top APCPDCL official said.

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