Power outages at my house are rarely a quiet affair. They
are often preceded by a loud thud from an electrical transformer located some
50 feet away from my flat. This squarish weather beaten, ageing and bulky
metallic contraption perched on two rods on an electric post with numerous
wires dangling around always exudes a sinister look. Sometimes from my balcony
I do see sparks emanating from the transformer.
The condition of most transformers dotting the street
corners and footpaths of the city is no different. Moreover, there is no
protective fencing around most of them and these spots often degenerate into garbage dumping points. The fact that they are located overhead multiplies the element of
surprise, with hapless pedestrians and motorists blissfully unaware of the
dangers. Quite often on some footpaths one can also see hawkers selling their
wares right below these transformers.
Electrical transformers are meant to transfer energy between
circuits, switching energy from one voltage to another. But when flooded with
too much electricity, the sudden surge can cause a transformer explosion. They
do contain mineral oil to keeps the circuits cool, but during a spike in
electricity the circuits fry and melt which often leads to sparks and sets the
mineral oil aflame. A corroded or a faulty wire is enough to trigger a
disaster.
The city had its fair share of electrocutions caused due to
faulty transformers - the latest one being at Koramangala where a man sustained
burn injuries and later died after a transformer explosion led to leakage of
hot oil. He was riding a two-wheeler and happened to be near the transformer
when the explosion took place. Quite a few times the matter have reached courts
and the city's power supplier Bescom has been ticked off by judges for its
cavalier attitude.
Despite High Court directive to shift these transformers
from crowded footpaths and street corners little has been done and around 9,000
of them still lurk over pavements in various parts of the city. Some of them
are located on footpaths adjoining roads that witness high traffic volumes
during peak hours. Motorists are often forced to halt near them due to traffic
jams, and they have to thank only their lucky stars for surviving unscathed.
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