WB takes steps for steady power supply at 'Gangasagar Mela'

In order to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the Gangasagar Mela, the state power department has taken up several measures to increase the capacity of the substation at Rudranagar, near here, in South 24 Parganas district.

The state power department have been working hard to increase the capacity of the 33/11 kV substation, a senior official of the department said.

"We are working on war footing to increase the capacity of the substation at Rudranagar. This is being done for the last few months to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Gangasagar Mela scheduled to be held in January," the official told PTI.

It has been decided to ensure uninterrupted power supply to 54 points within the mela premises and surrounding areas, he added.

In the previous years, 40 points in and around the mela used to get uninterrupted power supply, the official said.

Work related to laying of underground cables between Kachuberia and Rudranagar have been undergoing to ensure automated power supply through the diesel generated (DG) system in case of any problem related to power supply in any area, the IAS said.

In fact, the state administration made elaborate arrangements to ensure the security of the extra high-voltage (EHV) substation in Kakdwip, which has been kept on stand-by.

The power department had nearly doubled the power supply from 8.9 million units per day to 16 million units per day, during the Gangasagar Mela last year, the official added.

An additional 800 KW of power, excluding 250 KW generated by the State Electricity Board at the mela ground, 150 KW power at Chemaguri and 170 KW power at Kachuberia, would be generated as well, the official said.

The official also said that proper arrangements have also been made to provide adequate power supply to the pilgrims when they will camp near the Maidan area in Kolkata for a few days, before beginning the last leg of their journey to Gangasagar.

"Arrangements have been made to ensure that the pilgrims do not face any problems during their stay at the ground before going to Gangasagar and while going back to their respective destinations," he said.

Every year, on the day of 'Makar Sankranti' (January 14), thousands of pilgrims from various parts of the country gather at the Sagar Island to take a dip at the confluence of the Hoogly river and Bay of Bengal and offer prayers at the Kapil Muni Ashram.