Private manpower to be engaged for rectification of power disruptions in Chennai

Following the announcement by the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL) that it would appoint private contractors for assessing meters, the officials of the Operation and Maintenance Department have been directed to engage private manpower for attending to complaints of power disruption in the city.

The move comes in the wake of TNPDCL facing a manpower shortage across units including operation and maintenance offices and substations. 

A senior official of TNPDCL explained the latest development on engaging private manpower at a virtual meeting organised by the Distribution Director on September 25, in which senior officials in the rank of Chief Engineer and Superintendent Engineer took part. He said the Corporation was directed to engage private manpower for the posts of lineman, wireman, and helpers on a daily basis for speedy rectification of power disruptions. 

Since local officials, particularly Assistant Engineers and Assistant Executive Engineers, have been bearing the brunt of protests by residents during power disruptions at night, TNPDCL has decided to engage additional staff from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. to attend to such complaints and restore supply at the earliest. As part of this, 30 additional personnel should be made available for attending to rectification and maintenance works in 16 section offices of the Chennai region, including Perambur and Villivakkam, and 10 personnel in other section offices of the city and Kancheepuram regions. 

Senior officials in the rank of Executive Engineer have been directed to deploy additional staff in all substations, including 33 KV, 110 KV and 230 KV substations, having distribution networks.  

It was also decided at the meeting that any overhead power lines passing through government school premises should be shifted immediately.

Flagging the slow progress on upgrading the Avadi substation to a 230 KV substation, and non-commencement of work on upgrading the Pattabiram substation, Consumer activist T. Sadagopan said TNPDCL needs to assign additional staff in Pattabiram as power disruptions are frequent in the area.