Underground power cables project on cards

State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral resources Nasrul Hamid said on Thursday that the government has taken up a design and plan to implement its proposed underground cabling project to make the city free from overhead power cables.
"We plan to install an automated central SCADA system which will empower the distribution entities to establish an uninterrupted  supply system in future," the State Minister told the reporters after visiting the six development work projects of s Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) at different areas. The Dhanmondi underground cabling project is part of the DPDC's mega scheme for which the organisation signed a contract with the Chinese contractor TBEA in September in 2019.
Under the Dhanmondi project, 190 km of overhead electricity cables, an eyesore in the city, will be taken underground, DPDC officials said. Of these, about 115 km are of 11 kV overhead lines, and 75 km are 0.4 kV lines, they said adding that all kinds of overhead electric cables will go underground and no cable will remain visible in a particular part of Dhanmondi area that includes Satmasjid Road, Mirpur Road, City College and Greenherald School area.
The DPDC officials said the China-funded Tk 205 billion worth mega scheme also includes setting up 40 substations in the city and moving overhead cables of Hatirjheel Lake underground. Taking overhead cables underground from Jahangir gate in Cantonment to Motijheel is also included in DPDC's other similar project.
"Under the power distribution system upgrading project, the capacity of a number of substations will also be improved in Capital Dhaka," Nasrul Hamid said.
He said once the project is implemented, it will play a vital role in improving the power distribution system and substantially check the unexpected interruption in power supply.
City's overhead cables, especially the internet and cable TV lines, have created a huge pressure on electricity lines which often pose a serious threat to public safety, the State Minister said.
Nasrul Hamid said the DPDC is now installing a 132/33 kV substation project at Shahidulla Residential Hall area in Dhaka University to enhance its distribution capacity for which some high-voltage cables are being laid underground in the city Paltan area. The DPDC top executive officials were present during the projects visits.