Wire snaps, falls on houses – Kannauj follow-up: After brush with death, high-tension line to be relocated

The local power distribution company has agreed to shift a high-tension wire to an open area, following an incident in Gursahaiganj, Kannauj, in which 38 residents, including many children and women, were injured when the wire snapped and fell on houses. The decision comes after discussions with agitated residents.

This marked the third time in a month that a wire snapped in the densely populated locality. Local residents allege that one person has died as a result of the incidents, and numerous livestock have also perished in these incidents. They claim that the wires have deteriorated due to a lack of proper maintenance, with the latest incident occurring on September 4.

District magistrate, Kannauj, Shubhrant Shukla, said that the relocation of the 11000-KV line will begin after the monsoon. “We have spoken to the authorities of Dakshinanchal Vidyut Vitran Limited, and they have decided to shift the line,” he said.

Residents of Seemant Nagar laid siege at the local substation. They met the SDO, Brijesh Kumar, and demanded shifting of the line. Later, the chief engineer with others visited Seemant Nagar and met the affected families.

Chaman Ahmad Ansari, of whose family six persons got severe electric shock, said “We are living in perpetual fear; we cannot live like this. The line must be shifted,” he said.

“It was sheer luck that a major tragedy was averted on September 4 night,” Kumar remarked. “Given the number of people who received electric shocks and the potential for serious injuries, we are fortunate that the situation did not escalate further,” he added.

The high tension line spans 8 km, with a section running through Seemant Nagar, which is home to approximately 3,000 residents. Overall, the locality has a total population of around 8,000 people.

Following the incident, all affected individuals received treatment at the local hospital and were discharged later that night. Two residents were sent home on Thursday morning, according to local resident Murad Khan. He emphasised that had the power supply not been cut quickly from the substation, the scale of the tragedy could have been catastrophic.

Brajesh Kumar, the sub-divisional officer (SDO) tasked by the DVVL to investigate the recent line trip, stated that the high-tension line predated the development of the area, which has seen significant population growth over the last 15 years. He noted that this new settlement was established with inherent risk.

“We are conducting a comprehensive survey of the entire area to determine the best way to relocate the line,” Kumar explained. He attributed the incident to a punctured insulator caused by heavy rains, which resulted in the wire falling onto houses and triggering an electrical surge.