The Chhattisgarh High Court has directed authorities to complete electricity infrastructure upgrades in Bilaspur within a fixed timeline after reviewing measures being undertaken by the state power department and the Municipal Corporation to improve civic services.

A Division Bench comprising Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Ravindra Kumar Agrawal reviewed progress reports submitted by both departments and instructed officials to file a fresh status report by August 25 while ensuring that all proposed works are completed in a time-bound manner.

Three New Substations Planned

To address recurring issues of power outages, tripping and low voltage, the state power distribution company has proposed the construction of three new substations and two additional electricity supply zones in Bilaspur.

The proposed supply zones, Mangla Zone and Koni Zone, have already been forwarded to the power department headquarters in Raipur for approval.

Officials also informed the court that land allocation procedures have begun for a new Extra High Voltage (EHV) substation at Lokhandi village, while separate requests have been submitted to the district administration for land to establish 33/11 kV substations near Jawali Nala (Old Bus Stand area) and Mangla River View.

Damaged Poles Replaced

The electricity department stated that 21 deteriorated cement electricity poles, considered a safety risk, have been removed and replaced with steel poles.

To improve emergency response during the monsoon, a tender was issued on July 23 for the procurement of new sky-lift vehicles, which will assist in repairing high-tension lines and transformers. Until new equipment is available, the department is coordinating with the Municipal Corporation to use vehicles from other government agencies whenever required.

₹10 Crore for Covered Power Lines

The department also informed the High Court that the state government has sanctioned an additional ₹10 crore to convert open overhead electricity lines into covered conductors, a move aimed at reducing power disruptions caused by falling advertisement boards, tree branches and strong winds.

Authorities have also identified illegal hoardings and structures affecting power lines using GPS mapping and shared the details with the Municipal Corporation for removal.

Additional field staff have been deployed to strengthen maintenance and emergency response operations.

Municipal Corporation Reports Monsoon Preparedness

The Bilaspur Municipal Corporation informed the court that a 24-hour Flood Control Cell is functioning at Vikas Bhavan, Nehru Chowk to monitor monsoon-related complaints.

Officials said desilting of drains across all eight municipal zones was completed before the onset of the monsoon.

Complaints received at the control room are being recorded and addressed promptly. Preventive measures, including bleaching powder spraying, fogging operations and regular drain cleaning, are also being carried out in waterlogged areas to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks.

High Court Seeks Progress Report

While noting the measures taken by both departments, the Division Bench directed officials to ensure that all proposed infrastructure projects move forward without unnecessary delay.

The court has asked the authorities to submit a comprehensive status report before the next hearing on August 25, detailing the progress of all ongoing works.