Six individuals have died from electrocution in Delhi this monsoon, illustrating the lethal hazard of exposed wires during the rainy season. Authorities are being encouraged to prioritize safety measures in order to prevent future fatalities.
A tiny backlane in Patel Nagar floods following a light shower. To enter, go through a black metal gate next to an energy pole tangled with power lines, broadband, and TV cables. This area is now cordoned off with police tape after a 26-year-old man was electrocuted there on Tuesday after slipping and grasping the charged gate.
Less than a day later, a 30-year-old laborer was electrocuted on a building site in northeast Delhi’s Karawal Nagar. These are the fifth and sixth deaths by electrocution in Delhi this monsoon. Just weeks before, on June 28, a 39-year-old man was electrocuted in Rohini after brushing against a live wire on a flooded road. On July 13, a 34-year-old woman met the same fate in Bhajanpura.
These unfortunate deaths are part of an ongoing issue. A woman was electrocuted in June at New Delhi Railway Station after coming into contact with a live wire while it was raining. Despite officials’ assurances of action, similar instances continue to occur.
A tour through numerous home alleys in Delhi reveals the same hazardous scene: flooded regions mixed with unsecured, exposed wires. Residents must deal with this dangerous combination on a daily basis, particularly during the monsoon season.Authorities have failed to protect residents from these preventable accidents. Other recent electrocution deaths include a BSES employee in Dwarka who died on June 14 while repairing an electricity pole and a constable who died on Monday after touching a high-tension wire on a terrace in Najafgarh.
HT noted that, despite these fatalities, little has changed. Many footpaths are cluttered with vendors, encroachments, and unsecured wires protruding from poles and electricity installations. Loose wires were spotted on Minto Road, DDU Marg, New Friends Colony, West Patel Nagar, Rani Bagh, Saraswati Vihar, and Shakarpur.
The guy died on Tuesday in Patel Nagar after slipping on a flooded pavement and grabbing the wire-covered gate. These poles are common across the city. Arvind Kejriwal, Delhi’s Chief Minister, promised in 2021 to transfer all electrical connections underground. While this is possible, it requires a significant amount of room, planning, and funding, which authorities appear to lack.
According to a Delhi Transco Ltd (DTL) official, moving wires underground is expensive and takes up space, which is limited in most parts of the city. Unauthorized colonies, where electricity theft is widespread, exacerbate the problem.
Resident Welfare Associations (RWAs) claim the risk of electrocution increases during the monsoon season and criticize officials for failing to address the issue. Sanjeev Bhatnagar, a former RWA president from Prasad Nagar, believes that regular safety audits and checks on private meters and wires in homes are necessary. BS Vohra, the joint front president of east Delhi RWAs, stated that practically every pole had a dangerous wire. He underlined the need to rectify waterlogging around power poles and conduct frequent safety drives with the assistance of RWAs.
Delhi’s power distribution companies (discoms) claim to fix exposed wires and unsafe installations right away. BSES stated that they conduct safety inspections and provide advice during the monsoon season. Tata Power DDL stated that they execute specific drives to locate and repair electrical leakage, inspecting hundreds of points and resolving issues swiftly.
Despite these measures, the danger persists. The government must act decisively to avoid further lives from being lost through electrocution.
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