P PAUL THANGAM Vs. TAMIL NADU ELECTRICITY BOARD; SUPERINTENDING ENGINEER; ASSISTANT ENGINEER; DISTRICT COLLECTOR

JUDGEMENT

(1.) The petitioner has filed this Writ Petition, praying for issuance of Writ of Certiorarified Mandamus, to quash the proceedings passed by the District Collector/fourth respondent, Kancheevaram District, dated 16.11.2012, and consequently, to direct the respondents 2 and 3 to remove the Tower, which has been erected in a particular location, as the electrical lines are passing in front of the petitioner's property.

(2.) Heard the learned counsel appearing for the parties, and perused the materials placed on record.

(3.) This matter pertains to the drawal of electrical lines for installation of 110 KV transmission tower. It is seen that the Tamil Nadu Road Development Corporation (TNRDC), an Organization of this State, took up a project for formation of Chennai Outer Ring Road from Vandalur to Nemilicheri, near Pattabiram, for about 30 km under phase I, by acquiring certain extent of lands. In the said route, several Extra High Tension lines (EHT lines) were found to be crossing the roads at various locations. As per the standards of Tamil Nadu Transmission Corporation Ltd., (TANTRANSCO), a minimum ground clearance has to be maintained to ensure safety. Since EHT lines, which were drawn before the initiation of the said project, were crossing the roads with inadequate ground clearance, those lines were deviated by erecting additional towers with extra height, according to technical feasibility, and the expenditure incurred towards the said deviation work was remitted by TNRDC. The lines, which were crossing the locations near the Villages, such as Palanthantalam, Varadarajapuram, were deviated at some corridor, or to adjacent side, by satisfying all technical requirements. It is further seen that, at Erumaiyur Village, Singaperumal Koil, Kadaperi, 110 KV DC lines were crossing the outer ring road, and since the ground clearance in the said area was found inadequate, the height of the electrical lines was raised by 3.0 meters, by installing new towers on either side of the outer ring road, and if any break down work, or maintenance works needs to be attended, 'Line Clear' will be permitted from Load Despatch Centre, Chennai, for a period, not more than two days, and only during holidays, such line clear works would be carried out. Since 110 KV DC lines in the said Singaperumal Koil -Kadaperi is the main feeder to the Railway Track substation at Tambaram, to carry-out the deviation work, various locations for erection of new towers were fixed on either side of the outer right road, adjacent to the existing corridor, so that the new towers can be erected, without disturbing the existing EHT lines and the line stringing, and the line clear work energizing the new lines after dismantling the old lines can be completed within the period of two days. Based on the abovesaid schedule, the foundation works for erection of new towers were carried out during the second week of June, 2012 and the line clear works were carried out on 19.08.2012 and 20.08.2012, and as on date, towers have been energized, and they are in operation for three years.