AGARTALA, May 18 (TIWN): The central government has sanctioned Rs 165 crore for Tripura to lay underground electricity cables, said Minister for Power Manik Dey .Tripura State Electricity Corporation Limited (TSECL) will lay a wide underground network of high and low tension wires through towns with this fund, stated Power Minister.

“The funds have been sanctioned for 16 towns of the state, work for Agartala has started. We are expecting to complete it by March 2016. Apart from aesthetics, the cables are more secure, tamper proof and have a longer life” .

The decision was taken to cater to the growing demand and expansion of the city, as it is not easy to erect electric pole in the city. TSECL sometimes found it difficult several times to find appropriate location to set up pole due to opposition from locals or inconvenient approach routes.Sometimes, there are technical issues as well, the minister said.

In first phase, the fund will be used to 50 km long underground high tension cables and 31 -km long low tension cables in the city. Officials and engineers of the TSECL are taking utmost care to avoid damage of underground gas distribution, telephone and water supply lines during the work. The project would require two years to complete to make Agartala first city in northeast India to have the facility.

He said under R-APDRP scheme, TSECL has also started setting computerized billing systems across the state and department has also initiated renovation of entire power systems across the state. Soon, TSECL would set up new transformers in all sub divisional towns of the state along with changes of power conductors for better electric supply.