Auto-rickshaws silently consuming electricity in thousands of garages in Cumilla
Zakir Azad, Cumilla
Autorickshaws are silently consuming electricityWith the increase in the number of battery-powered autorickshaws in Cumilla city, charging garages are also increasing.
Autorickshaws are silently consuming electricityWith the increase in the number of battery-powered autorickshaws in Cumilla city, charging garages are also increasing.
More than 1,000 charging garages have been built against the movement of about 50,000 autorickshaws across the city. According to the Power Development Board (PDB), out of these, 685 are legal connections under three power supply centers.
However, investigations have revealed that illegal electricity use is going on in many places in various ways, including line hooking and meter tampering, under the guise of legal connections.
On the one hand, this is increasing the pressure on the power system, and on the other hand, the government is losing revenue.
An average of about 35,000 autorickshaws charge their batteries twice a day at the 685 legal charging garages under the Jangalia, Balutupa and Shasngacha power supply centers of Cumilla city. According to PDB estimates, these garages consume about 20 megawatts of electricity every day. This electricity consumption is calculated at the rate set by the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission.
But the field level picture shows that there are hundreds of other charging garages outside the calculation of legal garages. In addition to legal meters, there are allegations of illegal electricity consumption, meter tampering and line hooking at these places.
Some unscrupulous PDB employees are accused of being involved with the charging garage owners in these illegal connections. Because it is difficult to run such connections for a long time without their connivance. This has also created pressure on the total electricity supply and demand account of city.
Admitting the issue of line hooking and meter tampering along with legal meters, Cumilla Power Development Board Superintendent Engineer Sheikh Md. Mahfuzul Haque said, "In addition to identifying and disconnecting illegal connections, regular operations are being conducted. Legal action is also being taken against illegal electricity users. We are conducting regular operations regarding illegal connections. Where meter tampering or hooking is found, they are being disconnected and action is being taken as per the rules.
Meanwhile, according to PDB information, 18,122 kilowatts of electricity is allocated against 2,30,497 consumers in the city. PDB is also saying that there is a daily shortage of 14 to 16 megawatts against a supply of about 178 megawatts. They claim that the increased demand for auto-rickshaw battery charging is increasing the pressure on the grid, especially during off-peak hours.
However, the crisis does not stop at electricity alone. After thousands of auto-rickshaws leave the charging garage every day, additional pressure is being created on various roads in the city. Due to the large number of battery-powered auto-rickshaws plying on short roads, traffic jams at various important points from morning to night are now a daily problem for city residents.
Mokit khan, a city resident, said that there is no electricity at home, while rows of autos are charging their batteries on the side of the road.
Roads that used to take five minutes to travel on now take a lot of time due to traffic jams. Autos are needed, but there needs to be a control on how many autos will operate in the city and where they will operate.
Bithika Sharmin, another resident, said that the power crisis has become so severe that the level of load shedding has increased more during off-peak hours than during peak hours. This is because all these battery-powered auto-rickshaws plying on the road after 11 pm start charging at charging garages. This is increasing the level of load shedding at homes. If the City Corporation and the Power Development Board take necessary measures in this regard, the power crisis will be reduced to a great extent.
According to the information of Nagar Bhaban, in addition to the large number of auto-rickshaws plying in Cumilla city, auto-rickshaws are also entering from the surrounding areas every day. This is making control more difficult. Therefore, in addition to reducing the number of auto-rickshaws, initiatives have been taken to register and bring drivers under license.
Cumilla City Corporation Administrator Yusuf Molla Tipu said, we are working to control auto-rickshaws. There is a plan to bring only 8,000 auto-rickshaws and mixed vehicles under registration in the city. Drivers will also be brought under license. In addition, we are also planning to charge the batteries of registered vehicles through solar panels in coordination with the PDB. This will gradually reduce the pressure on electricity.
Sheikh Md. Mahfuzul Haque, Superintendent Engineer of Cumilla Power Development Board, said, "If the issue of charging through solar is implemented, the pressure on the grid will be reduced to some extent.
