Rasulpur: Although four years have passed since work on a mega electricity project was started under Kundapatna electricity section of this block in Jajpur district, it is yet to become operational or be of any use for thousands of consumers in the region, a report said.
The Kundapatna electricity section functions under Dharmasala electricity sub-division and Kuakhia electricity division. The project, a 33/11 KV electric sub-station, was started four years back with an aim to provide optimum and uninterrupted power supply to the consumers who have been reeling under frequent power cuts and low voltage problems. A plan outlay of Rs 6 crore was sanctioned for the project.
The project has crossed its deadline, which expired six months back, but works on the project is yet to be completed. As a result, over 10,000 consumers in eight panchayats of the area are yet to receive power supply from the project.
Residents have demanded to make the project functional without any further delay. While the project is getting delayed, power distribution company Tata Power North Odisha Distribution Ltd (TPNODL) and the implementing agency L&T are blaming each other for the unfinished project.
Reports said that residents inhabiting eight panchayats under Kundapatna, Kaema and Kotpur feeders are to receive power supply from this sub-station. These panchayats are Routrapur under Rasulpur block, Kaema, Patpur, Mangalpur, Mirzapur, Kotpur, Deoda and Uttarpratap panchayats under Dharmasala block. Keeping the problems in view, the state government decided to set up a 33/11 KV power sub-station at Narsinghpur village under Kaema panchayat which would make power supply uninterrupted power to the residents in these eight panchayts.
The project has two five MVA transformers and three feeders at Kundapatna, Kotpur and Nalakula. The implementing agency has completed work on the main structure and three feeders, while power connection has been established between one 33KV line and two 11KV lines.
The transformers have been charged and preparations are underway to connect the new lines with the old line. An electrical inspector from Odisha Electricity Regulatory Commission also visited the site and issued certificate to make the project operational, February 8, 2021. On April 13, the OERC also asked the implementing agency to cooperate with the distribution firm TPNODL in charging the line.
When contacted, Dhiren Kumar Behera, field engineer of L&T, said that work on the project has been completed and it will be handed over to TPNODL a fortnight after it is charged in May.
Chittarnjan Bhuyan, engineer of Kundapatna electricity section, said that non-completion of works is the reason behind the delay in making the project functional. He, however, hoped that the project will become functional by May.
A local resident, Prabhat Kumar Prusty held both the implementing agency as well as the power distribution firm responsible for the delay.
PNN