Kodagu rains: Over 1,400 electricity poles damaged; restoration work on

Relentless rain and strong winds have impaired the power infrastructure in Kodagu, damaging a total of 1,442 electricity poles, 11 transformers, and 13.105 km of power lines.

Despite the current adverse weather, power supply restoration efforts are under way. The authorities of Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) have so far replaced or repaired 1,091 poles and nine transformers. On average, about 100 poles are being replaced every day. However, the continuous downpour and gusty winds are hampering progress and causing further damage, a release issued by Executive Engineer (Operations and Maintenance Division), CESC, M. Ramachandra said.

To speed up the restoration of the electricity network, the Madikeri division of the CESC has deployed 231 personnel. In addition, 52 staff members have been brought in from other divisions, along with 75 outsourced workers and 124 contract staff — all equipped with tools and equipment. The teams are working on a warfooting to restore normalcy, the release added.

Officials have acknowledged that the past 10 days of incessant rain have slowed down repair work and caused repeated disruptions to the power supply. Therefore, they have urged the public to cooperate as the restoration work is in progress in the district.

Field officers and technical staff remain engaged in power restoration efforts. Because of the workload, section officers may not be able to respond to customer calls promptly. Instead, the authorities have set up a dedicated toll-free helpline for the Madikeri division to handle consumer complaints. Consumers can report power-related issues by calling the toll-free number: 1800-599-0061.

The executive engineer has assured the public that every effort is being made to restore power supply at the earliest.

Published - June 03, 2025 09:13 pm IST