
KSEB halts building construction near high-tension line
T'puram: Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) directed Karakulam Service Cooperative Bank and builders concerned to immediately halt unauthorised construction activities near a 220kV extra high tension (EHT) power line in Karakulam, citing violations of electrical safety regulations and risks to public safety.
Following a complaint filed by Environmental Protection and Research Council, KSEB officials from the transmission division conducted a site inspection on June 6. The inspection revealed that Karakulam Service Cooperative Bank was constructing a convention centre near Karakulam Bridge Junction on the way to Kachani.
The site was located directly beneath the right of way (RoW) of the 220kV Pothencode–Kattakada line, between tower locations 61 and 62.
According to the Central Electricity Authority Regulations, 2023, Section 63 explicitly prohibits construction directly under high-tension power lines. Furthermore, any such construction within the RoW requires prior approval from the electrical inspectorate.
KSEB formally directed the bank and the builders to halt construction activities until the necessary permissions are secured. The assistant executive engineer (in charge) clarified that failure to comply with the directive would place full legal and safety responsibility on the party undertaking the construction. Any damage or loss resulting from continuing the work in violation of the safety norms would solely be the responsibility of the party concerned.
The board also directed the authorities to submit all required documents for review by the electrical inspectorate before any further activity is resumed.
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Time of India
5 days ago
- Time of India
KSEB halts building construction near high-tension line
T'puram: Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) directed Karakulam Service Cooperative Bank and builders concerned to immediately halt unauthorised construction activities near a 220kV extra high tension (EHT) power line in Karakulam, citing violations of electrical safety regulations and risks to public safety. Following a complaint filed by Environmental Protection and Research Council, KSEB officials from the transmission division conducted a site inspection on June 6. The inspection revealed that Karakulam Service Cooperative Bank was constructing a convention centre near Karakulam Bridge Junction on the way to Kachani. The site was located directly beneath the right of way (RoW) of the 220kV Pothencode–Kattakada line, between tower locations 61 and 62. According to the Central Electricity Authority Regulations, 2023, Section 63 explicitly prohibits construction directly under high-tension power lines. Furthermore, any such construction within the RoW requires prior approval from the electrical inspectorate. KSEB formally directed the bank and the builders to halt construction activities until the necessary permissions are secured. The assistant executive engineer (in charge) clarified that failure to comply with the directive would place full legal and safety responsibility on the party undertaking the construction. Any damage or loss resulting from continuing the work in violation of the safety norms would solely be the responsibility of the party concerned. The board also directed the authorities to submit all required documents for review by the electrical inspectorate before any further activity is resumed.


Time of India
13-06-2025
- Time of India
6 months on, no work in sight at Venjaramoodu flyover site
T'puram: Six months after inauguration of the construction of Venjaramoodu flyover, not a single brick was laid. The project, envisioned to ease congestion at one of the busiest junctions on the MC Road, was caught in a tangle of bureaucratic delays, primarily due to the failure to shift overhead electric lines and remove power poles from the proposed construction site. As a result, daily commuters, pedestrians and local business owners are bearing the brunt of mounting traffic bottlenecks and prolonged uncertainty. The flyover project, awarded to Uralungal Labour Contract Cooperative Society (ULCCS), was seen as a vital infrastructure upgrade for the region. But since the formal inauguration, the ground reality remains unchanged. "The delay in relocating electric cables underground and removing electric posts stalled the actual commencement of construction," confirmed a senior PWD official. "We cannot proceed with piling or excavation until KSEB completes the necessary utility shifting. The coordination has taken longer than expected," the official added. The flyover was expected to be a game-changer for traffic movement between Thiruvananthapuram and Kottarakkara. Vehicles pile up during peak hours, especially at the congested four-way intersection, leading to frequent gridlocks and safety concerns. Locals and daily commuters are growing increasingly frustrated by the lack of visible progress. "Every day it's the same chaos," said Sunitha Raj, a schoolteacher who commutes from Kilimanoor to Venjaramoodu. "They held an inauguration with great fanfare. Now it is just barricades and dust," she added. Meanwhile, Vamanapuram MLA D K Murali, under whose constituency the project falls, told TOI that the delays were unfortunate but assured the public that the issue is being addressed. "This is a critical project for Venjaramoodu and the surrounding areas. I have taken up the matter with both PWD and KSEB. We hope to resume the construction works by next month and the utility works will be completed within two weeks," he said. He also added that the KSEB has to call a tender for the utility shifting works. According to sources, the initial utility relocation proposal was caught in a back-and-forth between the PWD and KSEB regarding funding and clearances. Though officials insist that coordination meetings have been held, no clear timeline for commencement has been announced. Follow more information on Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad here . Get real-time live updates on rescue operations and check full list of passengers onboard AI 171 .


New Indian Express
13-06-2025
- New Indian Express
Retired KSEB staffer spending life savings to immortalise French photography pioneer
ALAPPUZHA: Joseph Nicephore Niepce is one of the earliest pioneers of photography and is credited with capturing the first successful photograph of a real-world scene in the 1800s. However, Saji Ennakkad, an artist from Mavelikkara, feels the French inventor never got the credit he deserved. This is why the retired KSEB senior superintendent hailing from Vathikulam has made it his mission to construct a memorial for Niepce using his savings from the past 30 years. A few years ago, Saji, along with some others, formed the Joseph Nicephore Niepce Foundation in Mavelikkara. The Foundation is now helming the construction of the memorial, the first in India. Former chief secretary K Jayakumar laid the foundation stone for the memorial. Saji says the memorial is more than a tribute to photography's origins, it is a personal mission. 'Niepce never received the recognition he truly deserved in his lifetime. This memorial is our way of honouring his legacy and telling the world about the man who captured light for the first time,' he says. The project, having an estimated cost of `50 lakh, will recreate the French scientist's historic residence where he conducted his groundbreaking photographic experiments. The most iconic feature, the window through which Niepce captured the world's first successful photograph, will be replicated, Saji says. A 34kg bronze bust of Niepce, crafted three years ago, will be installed next to the memorial. The structure, set on a five-and-a-half cent plot, is designed as a modern cultural complex, housing a photography museum, art gallery, workshop space for photo and painting enthusiasts, and an open stage for cultural programmes.