Public suffer as EB, Corpn spar over pole middle of road

VELLORE: A local BJP leader has petitioned collector P Kumaravel Pandian seeking his intervention to set right a transformer and remove two power poles standing in the middle of a road in Salavanpet.

Local BJP leader Murugan sent a petition to the collector on July 3 stating that despite repeated requests to the local Tangedco officials two power poles located in the middle of Ammanankuttai road in ward 47 have not been removed.

“At times of outage at night, the stretch turns dark and poses threat to road users, especially riders not familiar with the area crash on the poles,” said party’s Vellore district government liaison wing president VSC Venketesan.

Murugan, who filed the petition, further said, “Tangedco says the poles will be removed only when the Vellore Corporation pays charges for the work. When this was conveyed to the corporation, they replied that the poles were installed in the middle of the road by Tangedco without their permission and hence it is their duty to remove it. As both sides were unable to reach a consensus, we were forced to petition the collector,” he said.

Similarly, a transformer on PK Rangasamy Street in Salavanpet coming under ward 46 has been standing precariously. It has been tethered with ropes by the public to avoid untoward incidents. “Tangedco has failed to take action in this case too,” said Murugan.

A top Tangedco official assured DT Next that the transformer issue would be sorted out very soon. However, the pole issue is difficult to sort out, it seems. The Corporation should bear the cost of the work for removing poles standing in the middle of the road, the Tangedco official said. “Once the funds are remitted from them, both poles will be removed within two days,” he added.