Telecom, power services restored in most cyclone-hit areas of Odisha

Bhubaneswar: Telecom connectivity had been restored in 20 blocks of Ganjam district, one of the worst-affected regions, by 5 pm on Saturday, the electronics and IT department said. On the other hand, power distribution companies reported restoration of electricity supply to more than 97% of consumers affected by the cyclone.The telecom service restoration drive was reviewed by electronics and IT minister Mukesh Mahaling and additional chief secretary Vishal Dev.Officials said BSNL and other telecom service providers have been directed to complete restoration across all affected locations by Sunday evening.“The department is coordinating with all service providers to ensure the earliest resumption of uninterrupted telecom services," an official statement said.According to the power utilities, electricity supply was restored to 39.74 lakh of the 40.91 lakh consumers impacted across 17 districts within two days of the cyclone’s landfall on Oct 28.The restoration effort involved more than 29,000 personnel deployed across the state to clear debris, replace damaged poles and lines, and restore feeders and substations. Power is back in 23 of Odisha’s 30 districts.Southern Odisha, particularly Ganjam and Gajapati districts, remains the focus of the restoration operations. Tata Power Southern Odisha Distribution Limited said it had restored supply to more than 16.7 lakh consumers, over 96% of those affected in eight districts, and was continuing work to reconnect the remaining consumers.The cyclone, which brought wind speeds of up to 150kmph and torrential rainfall exceeding 500mm in parts of southern Odisha, caused extensive damage to power and communication infrastructure.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Bhubaneswar | Silver Rate in Bhubaneswar | Bank Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Public Holidays in Bhubaneswar | Petrol Price in Bhubaneswar | Diesel Price in Bhubaneswar | CNG Price in Bhubaneswar | LPG Price in BhubaneswarStay updated with the latest Bhubaneswar news. Download the TOI App.