Vijayawada: As strong winds and heavy rains threaten coastal Andhra Pradesh, the state government has sent out an army of over 6,000 electricians, engineers, and ground staff to keep the power running and repair broken lines.
Reviewing preparations with top electricity officials on Tuesday, State Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar told power companies to stay on 24-hour alert. The goal is to make sure towns and villages do not face long blackouts when the storm hits.
To deal with falling trees and broken wires quickly, the department has placed workers, machines, and backup equipment in the areas most at risk:
- Thousands of Hands on Deck: More than 6,000 workers have been divided into quick-response teams near key sub-stations and power lines.
- Spare Parts Ready: Power offices have stocked thousands of spare electric poles, transformers, and cables at district centers so broken equipment can be replaced without delay.
- Heavy Machines on Standby: Cranes, tree cutters, and earthmovers are ready to clear blocked roads and lift fallen poles as soon as the wind eases.
The minister instructed teams to prioritize getting electricity back to hospitals, drinking water stations, and mobile towers before anything else.
Special control rooms have been opened in Vijayawada and in district collector offices to track power lines in real time. If a neighborhood gets heavily flooded, power will be shut off automatically to protect people from electrocution.
Officials urged citizens to stay safe during the storm. People should stay well away from fallen wires, leaning poles, and flooded transformers, and call the toll-free helpline 1912 right away if they spot a dangerous live wire.
The government said repair teams will work in continuous shifts until every home in the coastal belt has its lights back on.
