The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Plinths for transformers to ensure child safety

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Wednesday, Jun 23, 2010
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Plinths for transformers to ensure child safety

Staff Reporter

HYDERABAD: All the power distribution transformers to come up in the city henceforth will be erected on column-type plinths to ensure safety of children and passers-by and to reduce the fencing cost, CPDCL authorities informed. Instructions to this effect have been issued to Superintendent Engineers of all the three circles.

Apparently spurred by complaints about transformers without fencing by the public representatives at the recently held District Review Committee meeting, the department zeroed in on construction of plinths as the only alternative to ensure safety. “At most of the places, concrete fences around the transformers are being used to dump garbage. Some have also doubled up as public urinals. Our linemen are forced to wade through rubbish and stench when they approach the transformer to carry out repairs. So we have ruled out fencing as an option,” explains a highly placed official of Metro Zone.

There are about 20,000 distribution transformers in the purview of Metro Zone. Concrete fence was experimented with about six to eight years ago to ward off contact of passers-by with transformers and fuse boards. However, these barricades crumbled at many places due to substandard quality of construction. Even where they are intact, public has begun to use them as an alternative for garbage bins.

There have been instances when the garbage caught fire and burnt vital parts of the transformer causing feeder-trips. Plinths were later tried as an alternative to increase the height of the transformer. There are quite a few transformers in the city without plinths posing great danger to pedestrians, especially children. Grilled doors provided for the fuse boards to keep them away from contact were all stolen within six months, officials claim.

“The circles have been informed to take up construction of column type plinths for existing transformers too. We will also increase the plinth height wherever it is less than six feet,” informed the official. At a few locations, plinths have been rendered shorter due to road widening, and at such places, efforts will be made to increase the height, he said.

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Andhra Pradesh