Edamon-Kochi powerline inaugurated

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday formally inaugurated the 148km long Edamon-Kochi power highway which will increase the states power import capability by 800 MW.

"With the completion of the Edamon-Kochi power highway, power can be transmitted to Kerala from any part of India through the 400 KV network," Vijayan said while inaugurating the power line at Adoor, about 90 km from here.

Vijayan said his government after taking charge in 2016 completed 93 per cent work of this project which had begun in 2005.

He said the highway was completed after convincing the people about the project's importance.

"The Edaman-Kochi Power Highway project has been completed by providing adequate compensation to those who lost their land. The government was also able to convince those who initially opposed the project.

This government completed 351 towers of the 447 towers, he said.

The earlier towers were completed during the previous Congress-led UDF government.

Out of the total 148 km line, this government completed 138 km within just over three years, Vijayan said.

Vijayan said the government will not be able to drop any project just because a group of people opposed it.

"Such projects are important. We won't be able to drop the project because a few people objects.They will understand the importance of such projects in the future," he said.

The total project cost, including construction and compensation expenses, comes around Rs 1,300 crore and was completed on September 14.

The Electricity Board activated the line on September 25.

The Edamon-Kochi line passes through Kollam, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam and Ernakulam.

The new line reduces power import via inter-state Udumalpet-Palakkad and MysoreArikode lines.

Kerala imports around 3000 MW from the Central pool to meet its daily power requirements.