Visakhapatnam: November 6: Following Hudhud at least 10,000 men worked 24/7 for 18 days to restore the power of the three districts of Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam.

The three districts have a customer base of 23 lakh. At least 250 trucks and an equal number of mobile cranes were used in the mass operation, and other heavy equipment.

Commenting on the extent of damage to the electricity sector in the region on the north coast of Cyclon Hudhud, Chairman-cum-Managing Director of the Andhra Pradesh Power Distribution Company East Limited (APEPDCL) MV Seshagari Babu said his organization it has become at least 30 years.

He said it was not easy to raise over 40,000 electrical poles and towers 80 HT and LT and then connect the 132 kV substations hundreds of 33 and 11 kV feeders in a span of 18 days. He, however, said there was no elaborate planning behind the task. Advance task had saved the day for APEPDCL said.