City remains sans water, power for 6th day

Tribune News Service

Shimla, January 11

Major part of the city, including Benmore, parts of US Club, Chhota Shimla, Sanjauli, Bharari, Dhalli, New Shimla, Chakkar, Totu, Lakkar Bazaar and Tara Devi, that comprises more than 50 per cent of the city population are without power and water for the sixth consecutive day.

The rest of the areas are getting rationed supply of water and electricity. Though Himachal Pradesh State Electricity Board Limited (HPSEBL) officials remained on their toes throughout the day, they could only get partial success. The HPSEBL officials are trying hard to re-erect poles near the Ram Chandar Chowk behind Raj Bhavan so the electricity supply is resumes at the earliest.

The recent heavy snowfall has wreaked havoc in the entire state as uprooted trees, cable wires can be seen strewn on all major routes, including Jutogh, Boileauganj, Summer Hill, Mall Road, US Club, Bemloi, Raj Bhavan, Chotta Shimla, Malayana, New Shimla and Kasumpti.

Braving freezing temperatures, HPSEBL employees are climbing poles and pulling cable wires to restore the snapped power supply but the department is ill-equipped and lacks manpower.

The district administration and the Shimla Municipal Corporation have launched a coordinated effort to restore normal life in the city.

Meanwhile, the Circular Road from Sanjauli to Lakkar Bazaar was closed for vehicular traffic for the sixth consecutive day.

The major relief for residents came after HPSEBL restored power supply to the main water pumping station at Giri.

With this, the SMC-run water and sewage circle resumed pumping to restore water in the city, while the Ashwani Khud’s Koti-Barandi scheme started cleaning the source tanks which were flooded with muddy water.

Water supply to resume, says Mayor

Shimla Mayor Sanjay Chauhan said the water supply would resume on an alternate day if they get interrupted power supply at Giri and Ashwani Khud. “We have cleared 130 trees that collapsed on city roads and garbage collection has begun to maintain hygiene in the city,” he said.