Tipper lorry damages 35 electric poles in Bengaluru, power supply cut off to thousands

Drunk tipper lorry driver damages 35 electric poles in Bangalore, affecting power supply to 6,000 installations; driver arrested.

Electricity supply to approximately 6,000 installations in and around Jalahalli division of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (Bescom) has been affected after a tipper lorry dragged and damaged 35 LT electric poles near Chikkabanavara circle in the early hours of Saturday.

Power supply was affected in parts of Chikkabanavara, Hesaraghatta, and Soladevanahalli. According to a Bescom official, the accident occurred at around 2.20 a.m. on the Chikkabanavara – Hesaraghatta main road.

“He dragged 35 poles from Chikkabanavara Circle to a Santhe Beedi after the wire got stuck in the tipper. He did not even know he had dragged the poles until an auto rickshaw driver alerted him,” he said.

Due to the damage, the power supply to 34 transformers has been affected. The work has already begun on the restoration of the poles as well as power supply. “By afternoon, power will be restored to at least 30 transformers. By evening, we will finish replacing all the damaged poles and will have power restored to the houses,” the official said. The accident has damaged approximately ₹5 lakh worth of infrastructure.

Bescom officials said that they had lodged a complaint with the police. Reports from the Chikkabanavara Traffic police said that the lorry was transporting m-sand, and the driver was in a drowsy state when the accident occurred. A JCB was later brought to the spot to clear the sand which had spilled over onto the road. The police have nabbed the tipper driver named Mani.

While sources in Bescom said that the driver was in a drunken state when the incident occurred, police said that they are awaiting the medical report to confirm.