Campaign teams continue to mount posters near bridge despite danger

People continue to insert steel poles into the ground to mount posters and advertisements right above the cables that supply electricity to Male’ City, Hulhumale’ and Hulhule’.

The highest concentration of campaign posters for the upcoming parliamentary elections – scheduled for April 21 – is near the Sinamale’ Bridge and Hulhumale’ Highway. Candidates appear to be contesting not just the election, but who can put up the biggest poster.

But the State Electric Company (STELCO) has warned against installing steel poles into the ground to mount posters, warning of high risk of damage to the Greater Male’ Interconnection Grid.

A spokesperson from STELCO told Sun on Tuesday that the area where the posters are put up is where the main power cables for Male’ are buried.

He said that damage to cables buried in the area will be extremely hard to repair. He added that most of the electricity needed by Male’ is already supplied from Hulhumale’.

“We are currently bringing in most of the electricity needed by Male’ from Hulhumale’. Male’ does not have the capacity to carry the full load,” he said.

According to STELCO, any damage to cables from the steel poles will force the company to do scheduled outages.

The spokesperson said that 400 megawatts of electricity pass through the cables, meaning there is also a high risk of electrocution if the steel poles penetrate the cables.

STELCO’s managing director Hussain Fahmy, took to X on Friday to express concern over the failure to heed the company’s earlier warning and stop the installation of campaign posters in the area.

މާލެ، ހުޅުލެ އަދި ހުޅުމާލެ ކަރަންޓުގެ އެއްވިއުގައަކުން ގުޅާލުމަށް ޤާއިމްކޮށްފައިވާ ގްރޭޓަރމާލެ އިންޓަކަނެކްޝަން ގްރިޑްގައި ހިމެނޭ ކޭބަލް ވިއުގައިގެ މައްޗަށް ދަގަނޑު ޖަހައި އިސްތިހާރު ބޯޑުތައް އަދިވެސް ބަހައްޓަމުން ގެންދިއުމާއި މިވަގުތު ޖަހާފައިވާ ބޯޑުތައްވެސް އެ ކޭބަލް ވިއުގައިގެ…

— Hussain Fahmy (@u09HussainFahmy) March 28, 2024

He said that damage to the cables will take a long time to repair, disrupting electricity services in the capital.

Fahmy urged people to be more responsible.