I-Day kite flying disrupts power supply in 12,000 Delhi homes

Power supply was disrupted in around 12,000 houses in the national capital today, owing to power trippings due to kite flying on Independence Day. This year, 24 kite flying-related trippings were reported from different areas in Delhi, up from 12 such instances last year.

New Delhi: Power distribution companies on Saturday had a tough time dealing with cases of power tripping due to the festive kite flying across the national capital to celebrate Independence Day.

A total of 24 kite flying-related trippings were reported from different areas by BSES discoms BYPL and BRPL, and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (TPDDL), discom spokespersons said. The trippings disrupted power supply to approximately 12,000 families across the city.

"There were a total of 15 kite flying related trippings in BSES areas this year from different places including Najafgargh, Nangloi, R K Puram, areas near Siri Fort, Mukherjee Park, Karol Bagh and others," said a BSES spokesperson.

The electricity supply to affected areas, however, was restored within 15 minutes, he said.

With a large number of people, especially young children indulging in kite flying on the day, nine cases of trippings were reported from TPDDL areas by 4.30 PM, a company spokesperson said.

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"Two 66/33 KV circuits and one power transformer also tripped. These trippings impacted power supply to approximately 12,000 consumers. Our team is working on a war footing to restore the supply at the earliest," he said.

The most impacted areas are Gulabi Bagh, Shastri Nagar, Mangeram Park, Hardev Park, Krishan Vihar, Vijay Vihar and sectors 28 and 29 in Rohini, he said.

The discoms had earlier issued advisories urging people not to use metal coated kite strings (manjha) and avoid flying kites near electrical installations, during Raksha Bandhan and Independence Day.

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This year, the people were requested to be extra cautious due to the ongoing pandemic as an entanglement of metal coated manjha (kite string) may interrupt power supply to hospitals and other essential services resulting in inconvenience to all," said the TPDDL spokesperson.

According to estimates, tripping of one 33/66 KV overhead line can disrupt power supply to over 10,000 residents of an area and tripping of a single 11 KV line to over 2,500 residents, he said.

Last year, there were around 12 instances of kite flying-related trappings in TPDDLT areas, he added.

(With inputs from PTI)