High-tension wires: A dangerous spectre hangs over Delhi colonies

A steady hum fills the air on a 600m-long road that bisects Shaheen Bagh into two equal halves.

- Paras Singh and Jasjeev Gandhiok

NEW DELHI: The sound is so constant that it has become part of the background noise of daily life for residents. The source of this eerie noise lies in the street's no-nonsense name: High Tension Marg.

Above this road runs a 220KV high-tension transmission line, its cables brushing alarmingly close to balconies, windows, and a bustling marketplace. The road divides the neighbourhood neatly into two—houses on one side, a market on the other—while the power lines loom overhead, a silent but intrusive presence that has crept into the rhythm of daily life.

According to Central Electricity Authority (CEA) regulations, high-tension transmission lines should have a 35m right of way on each side. But at High Tension Marg, the situation is far from ideal. At certain points, the power lines are within arm's reach of some homes.

The transmission towers, positioned in the middle of the road, double as storage spots for vegetable and fruit vendors, and platforms for illegal hoardings. Most double-storey houses stand barely 4-5 feet from the wires, their precarious closeness sparking growing concern among residents.

Md Irfan, 46, a shopkeeper at Shaheen Bagh D Block, said injuries due to electrocution are not uncommon. "Last year, we had three such cases. There have also been multiple deaths," he said.