Delhi Discoms Issue Safety Advisory Against Metal Manjha Ahead of Independence Day

Power discoms in New Delhi have issued safety advisories ahead of Independence Day and Rakshabandhan celebrations, urging kite flyers across the city to refrain from using metal-coated or glass-coated manjha near overhead power lines.

BSES discoms and Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited warned that metal-coated thread, popularly known as Chinese manjha, acts as a potent conductor of electricity. Coming into contact with power infrastructure can cause severe electric shocks, electrocution, equipment damage, and widespread blackouts.

According to BSES, the tripping of a single 33/66 kV overhead line can cut off electricity to over 10,000 residents, while a tripped 11 kV line can affect more than 2,500 people. The discom stated that multiple power trippings linked to kite flying are reported in Delhi every year.

In response, BSES operations and maintenance teams have been put on high alert for kite-flying contingencies ahead of Independence Day. The discom urged residents to fly kites in open areas away from power installations and to use only cotton or other natural-fibre thread free of glass or metal components. Parents and elders were also requested to prevent children from entering barricaded or prohibited areas around power infrastructure to retrieve trapped kites.

Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited also issued an appeal warning that sharp glass-coated thread poses dangerous risks of injury to two-wheeler riders and birds.

To educate the public, the discom has displayed safety banners across all its installations and at several public places. TPDDL has also partnered with FM radio channels, launched a social media series, and released a dedicated video advisory on electrical safety.