The sleek Ring Main Units (RMUs) have come up near the old transformers all around the town. Captured by : Agnelo Pereira
MAPUSA
If all goes as per plans, the ambitious project to do away with overhead power lines and bury them underground across the city of Mapusa will be completed by the end of the year.
The electricity department had undertaken the underground cable-laying work in Mapusa with the primary objective to bring down disruptions in supply and ensure safety.
While almost 60 per cent of the cable laying work is complete, the actual commissioning of power lines will take some more time.
The plan was to lay 11 KV High tension power cables of the entire Mapusa city underground covering a distance of around 50 kms while the Low Tension cables in the municipal market, Angod, Morod and Alankar will also go underground. The total cost of the project was Rs 117 crore. The work on the project started in June 2022.
“Within a short span of six to seven months, we have completed almost 60 per cent of work. The work is being carried out at a brisk pace and if all goes well we can expect the entire work to be completed by the end of December this year,” said Savio Fernandes, Assistant Engineer, Mapusa Electricity Department.
In most places, the contractor has been using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technique to lay the cable to minimise road cutting. However, in some rocky areas excavation work will have to be undertaken.
Fernandes informed that work to lay low tension lines from the market area to the Church will begin by mid-March and will be completed before the rains.
He said at the moment the Aoci feeder has been charged while plans were afoot to charge more feeders in Duler, Khorlim and the Mapusa market before the onset of the monsoon.
“During the rains, we will not be able to do much digging work. So we will take up the task of connecting the transformers in the monsoon,” he said.
The sleek Ring Main Units (RMUs) have been set up close to the old transformers all around the town. These transformers will be connected to the new RMUs from where the entire distribution work will be monitored.
“Once complete, the underground cabling will ensure the residents get uninterrupted power supply. Besides, people will also get quality supply as voltage will also improve,” the Assistant Engineer informed.
The electricity department had undertaken the underground cable-laying work in Mapusa with the primary objective to bring down disruptions in supply and ensure safety.
While almost 60 per cent of the cable laying work is complete, the actual commissioning of power lines will take some more time.
The plan was to lay 11 KV High tension power cables of the entire Mapusa city underground covering a distance of around 50 kms while the Low Tension cables in the municipal market, Angod, Morod and Alankar will also go underground. The total cost of the project was Rs 117 crore. The work on the project started in June 2022.
“Within a short span of six to seven months, we have completed almost 60 per cent of work. The work is being carried out at a brisk pace and if all goes well we can expect the entire work to be completed by the end of December this year,” said Savio Fernandes, Assistant Engineer, Mapusa Electricity Department.
In most places, the contractor has been using the Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) technique to lay the cable to minimise road cutting. However, in some rocky areas excavation work will have to be undertaken.
Fernandes informed that work to lay low tension lines from the market area to the Church will begin by mid-March and will be completed before the rains.
He said at the moment the Aoci feeder has been charged while plans were afoot to charge more feeders in Duler, Khorlim and the Mapusa market before the onset of the monsoon.
“During the rains, we will not be able to do much digging work. So we will take up the task of connecting the transformers in the monsoon,” he said.
The sleek Ring Main Units (RMUs) have been set up close to the old transformers all around the town. These transformers will be connected to the new RMUs from where the entire distribution work will be monitored.
“Once complete, the underground cabling will ensure the residents get uninterrupted power supply. Besides, people will also get quality supply as voltage will also improve,” the Assistant Engineer informed.
