Delhi asks APDCL to supply power to border floodlights

Fresh target date set for delayed project

By Our Staff Reporter

Guwahati, May 6: The Central government has set a fresh target to complete the Indo-Bangladesh border floodlighting project which has been delayed by more than five years.

The government now intends to complete the project by June, 2017.

The floodlighting project was an outcome of the tripartite meeting held between the Centre, State government and AASU in May, 2005 over implementation of the clauses of the Assam Accord.

The initial target was to complete the work by 2011, but work on the project, executed by the IBBFLD-CPWD, started much after the scheduled date.

The installation of the posts and lights were filly completed in mid-2015. But they are yet to be connected to power supply sources.

A total of 213.74 km of the intertiol border in Assam - 37.6 km in Dhubri, 43.44 km in Mankachar, 40.50 km in Silchar and 92.20 km in two Karimganj sectors - is being covered under the floodlighting project. Assam shares 263 km of border with Bangladesh.

The Central government has now asked the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) to supply power to the installed floodlights.

Meanwhile, border villagers say that some poles are already showing signs of wear and tear.

"Work on the project in Dhubri sector had started in 2009. The workers had told us then that the project would be completed in 2012. But the installation work was completed only in 2015. But there is no power supply yet," said a village of Dhubri's border village Xatrasal.

Sometimes, however, the BSF operates a few lights using diesel generators.

"We have observed bents and tilts in some posts in our sectors. We fear if the power supply is delayed, there could be more damages in the installed posts, lights and connecting wires," the villager said.