Chennai: Monsoon is here and the danger of dangling electric wires, broken junction boxes and open transformers has just increased.
Several stretches including Saidapet Railway Station Road, Sri Devi Kuppam Main Road in Vadapalani, T Nagar, Choolaimedu, Thiruvanmiyur, Besant Nagar, Perambur Loco Works, Neelankarai and Kottivakkam have dangling electric wires that are an open threat.
Pedestrians have to battle with electric wires every monsoon as they have the danger of getting electrocuted. After the roads are flooded, these wires are a grave danger to passersby.
“The electric wires hang overhead and are dangling on the footpaths in Ekkattuthangal. I met with an accident on my way to work in Ekkattuthangal a few months ago, even now the situation is same and many other commuters have to walk through dangling wires daily,” said S. Shalini, an employee in Ekkattuthangal.
Open junction boxes in Adyar, Tambaram, Injambakkam and Retteri lead to electric shocks and catch fire often during monsoons. The junction boxes exposed to rain water proved fatal to a family of three in Retteri, as the flow of current from an open junction box reached the house and killed them, residents said.
“Even after a year has passed since the incident, the junction boxes have not been mended. Negligence of authorities is a threat to residents and kids especially,” said S Ilavarasan, a resident of Retteri.
However, officials say local attendants are being instructed to monitor all junction boxes in the city by TNEB. “There are short circuits during rain and in worst cases they lead to fire. The location of these transformers is near dustbins in most areas in Jawahar Nagar, which is a daily threat to residents,” said A Kanishka, a resident of Perambur.
When contacted, TNEB officials said work on removing overhead wires is almost completed in Central Chennai. This is being done in North and West Chennai stepwise. “We are working to bring advanced Ring Main Unit (RMU) instead of open transformers that will reduce the risk of electrocution and burning of transformers,” a TNEB official said.
