|
Sunday, 15 May 2005 |
News |
News Business Features |
Paralysed power and telecommunication under restoration An estimated 222,660 households lost access to electricity and telecommunication services were partially or fully paralysed as massive sea waves destroyed the supply lines along the Southern and North-Eastern coastal belt. As for electricity supply, 6,500 km service lines and 600 km low voltage lines and 50 km medium voltage lines were destroyed and damage is estimated at 6.7 billion rupees (US$ 67 million). Further 4.8 billion rupees (US$ 48 million) is needed for an additional transmission and power generation project. Forty seven damaged sub stations were repaired and 8,580 houses were provided with electricity. 32.8 km of high voltage lines and 136.5 km of low voltage lines were repaired. As for telecommunication services, most of damaged towers and exchanges were repaired by the telecom operating companies. A 1.8 billion rupees (US$ 18 million) project is planned to build 300 towers islandwide for a wireless telecommunication service and an MoU had been signed for telecommunication equipment which would serve 50,000 subscribers. (RJ) |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |