Nearly 7,000 buildings across Bengaluru are perilously close to high-tension power lines laid by Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited (KPTCL), despite repeated tragedies from accidental electrocution.
KPTCL first flagged these illegal constructions in 2021, identifying thousands of structures lacking the legally mandated clearances from overhead cables. The utility formally requested the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to act swiftly and clear these zones to prevent fatalities. However, sources revealed that no decisive action has followed.
The consequences have been deadly. On June 15, a 10-year-old boy in KR Puram was fatally electrocuted after touching a high-tension cable merely four feet from his home’s entrance. This was just one of several incidents. Last January, an 11-year-old in RT Nagar died while flying a kite that struck a power line. In 2019, a worker was killed in Manjunath Nagar while working at a building under an HT wire.
KPTCL officials emphasize that they lack legal power to evict residents or demolish illegal structures and can only issue warnings. They have published multiple advisories urging citizens not to build near these cables.
Meanwhile, BBMP claims enforcement has stalled because builders often challenge demolition notices in court. Officials also allege corruption enabled these unsafe buildings in the first place.
Following the most recent death, KPTCL plans to convene urgent talks with BBMP to address the crisis.