DHBVN orders removal of risky power poles from roads across south Haryana

Field officers must survey stretches affected by road widening, fix low-hanging lines and document shifts with geo-tagged photos and GIS updates.

The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) has issued fresh directions to remove dangerous electricity poles in the middle of roads and rectify low-hanging power lines across its operational areas.

(Representative image) Agencies will get 15 days to deposit shifting costs, failing which works up to ₹5 lakh will be done urgently and recovered through power bills. (HT Archive)

The initiative, issued by DHBVN managing director Vikram Singh, aims at enhancing public safety and preventing road accidents, said officials.

Singh said that due to road widening projects and construction, several electricity poles have come up on main carriageways, posing a serious risk to motorists and pedestrians.

At many locations, the executing agencies were supposed to shift these poles after depositing the requisite cost, but the process is still pending, officials added.

Officials warned that such poles, especially during night and fog, significantly increase the risk of accidents. Repeated road construction also resulted in reduced clearance of overhead electricity lines, increasing the possibility of electrocution and other cases.

Sub-divisional officers (SDO) of the concerned area will be responsible for identifying such locations. “The SDO will regularly survey roads to detect unsafe poles and low-hanging lines,” Singh said.

SDO will prepare a deposit estimate and get approval from the competent authority to relocate such poles wherever required. “Agencies concerned — including National Highways Authority of India, Public Works Department, municipal corporation, marketing boards and gram panchayats—will be issued notices to deposit the required amount within 15 days,” he said.

If not deposited within the period, work costing up to ₹5 lakh will be executed immediately by SDO in public interest, with the expenditure recovered by adding it to the department’s electricity bill.

For work exceeding ₹5 lakh, the executive engineer (operation) will act as the nodal officer and pursue the matter through meetings. Such works will be taken up only after the deposit is received, added officials.

The direction also mandates strict documentation and monitoring. Before-and-after photography and videography with date, time and geo-location will be compulsory. SDO’s have been instructed to ensure that GIS mapping of the affected infrastructure is updated accordingly.

Superintending engineers and executive engineers will conduct fortnightly reviews and submit progress reports to the chief engineer (operation) and be placed for review in the quarterly meeting of the whole-time directors (WTDs).

All officers have been directed to ensure strict compliance with the new safety guidelines, officials added.