Siliguri: The West Bengal State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (WBSEDCL) will start underground cabling work in Siliguri. However, some technical problems have come up with the work process.
A discussion has been going on between the Public Works Department (PWD), Public Health Engineering (PHE) and WBSEDCL about two methods for conducting the work. One is open cutting and the other is microtunneling.
With the aim of resolving the matter, Gautam Deb, Mayor of Siliguri, held a meeting with the officials of the respective departments on Monday, where they decided that representatives and officials of PWD, PHE, WBSEDCL and Siliguri Municipal Corporation (SMC) will visit the site on June 7 and a conclusive decision will be taken.
“We are trying to resolve the issue. Respective departments have already held a meeting on the method. On June 7, we will inspect the area and will make a decision,” said the Mayor. He further added: “The past board of SMC had given permission to PHE work and telecommunication companies to set up cables but they did not keep any information or design drawings for the work. Therefore, we have to do the work blindly without any information. This causes difficulties.”
In the first phase, the work will be conducted on Sevoke Road starting from Second Mile to Panitanki More on 8 km of PWD land, 35 km in 17 wards of the SMC and from Hasmi Chawk to Court More. About Rs 1.99 crore has been sanctioned for this. PHE has already given permission by applying some conditions that, if any damage happens to PHE lines, will be repaired by the WBSEDCL. Importance is given to Sevoke Road. A company from Pune will do the work.