Tata Power-DDL Urges Kite Fliers not to Fly Kites Near Electrical Installations

Tata Power-DDL appealed to Delhiites not to fly kites near electrical installations and overhead power lines on the occasion of Independence Day on August 15, 2021. This year people have to be extra cautious due to the ongoing pandemic as entanglement of metal coated manjha (kite string) may interrupt power supply to hospitals and other essential services resulting in inconvenience to all.
 
The wide-spread use of metal coated manjha, being a good conductor of electricity; poses a great danger not only to the person flying the kite, but may also disrupt electricity supply of an area. Flying of kites picks up on the occasion of Independence Day in Delhi. According to estimates, tripping of one 33/66 KV overhead line can disrupt power supply to over 10,000 residents of an area and tripping of a single 11 KV line to over 2,500 residents. It can take anywhere between15 minutes to 2 hours to deal with damage caused by kite flying to power cables.
 
Each year, there are several instances of kite-flying-related trappings. It is noteworthy here that disrupting of power supply and causing damage to power equipment is punishable under the Electricity Act and the Delhi Police Act.
 
The use of manjha endangers the lives of humans, birds and other animals. Besides, the manjha has been banned by the government since 2017. The government order also, only permits the usage of a cotton thread, which is free from any metals.
 
Tata Power-DDL is running a dedicated FM Campaign in order to sensitize masses about the perils of unsafe kite flying and also a social media campaign using its corporate mascot Roshni for giving tips on precautions to be taken while flying kites in the form of creative and short videos. It is  also sensitizing school children about the dos and don’ts to be kept in mind while flying kites by conducting online sessions in coordination with several schools in Delhi. The company has also deployed banners across major locations in its area to create awareness among its consumers.
 
In the run-up to Independence Day, the company’s Operations and Maintenance teams are on constant vigil to take care of any kite-flying related contingencies. Consumers can report any unsafe situation or untoward incident on company’s dedicated 24x7 toll-free helpline number 19124.