Date:27/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/27/stories/2008092759410400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Now CPDCL wants to dig roads

HYDERABAD: After the Water Board, it is the turn of the Central Power Distribution Company Limited (CPDCL) to seek permission from the Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation (GHMC) for road cutting to lay its underground cables.

The request was made by CPDCL Managing Director Sai Prasad to GHMC Commissioner and Special Officer S.P. Singh during a coordination meeting held on Friday morning between both the departments.

CPDCL has been planning to lay underground cables to an extent of 150 km but work has been pretty slow, also due to delay in getting permissions from municipal and other departments.

Though Mr. Prasad did not specify the extent of area or places where the road cutting will be taken up, Mr. Singh responded positively and has urged the power utility body to complete all diggings within the next two months - October and November end since repair and re-carpeting of all roads are to be taken up after that, an official spokesman said. CPDCL officials have promised to submit a detailed work sheet to the municipal authorities soon for obtaining permission for road cutting. Yesterday, the Commissioner gave permission to HMWSSB to dig roads for laying pipelines for its Krishna water phase two works till October end. Mr. Singh wanted both departments to take into consideration future needs when metro rail stations come up plus for the new townships, inner and outer ring road development, etc. Mr. Prasad on his part offered to start underground cabling work for the Charminar Pedestrianisation project from first week of October, a long pending job.