Bengaluru: The Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) and the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) have constituted a high-level committee to identify 5,245 transformers that need to be relocated off City footpaths. Wing Commander G. B. Athri (retired) filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), and the High Court issued directives that led to the identification.
A division bench directed BESCOM to submit an action plan to shift transformers with details of the locality and time required for shifting in a phased manner, keeping pedestrian safety into consideration.
The court ordered BESCOM to submit the action plan by February 4, 2022, the next hearing date.
However, the court stated that work on relocating transformers should begin before the next hearing date. The court noted that it had already made a finding that obstructing footpaths could infringe on pedestrians’ fundamental rights.