Guwahati: Ahead of Ambubachi mela, Assam chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Thursday inaugurated Asian Development Bank-aided 2X40 MVA, 132/33 KV gas-insulated power substation near Kamakhya temple here.

It is the second such substation set up by Assam Electricity Grid Corporation Ltd (AEGCL) in the state that will provide uninterrupted electricity supply in the temple and the greater west Guwahati region.

The mela in Kamakhya will be held in the later part of June.

"Inadequate electricity supply was a very old problem in west Guwahati. Now it has been sorted out. I hope this time Ambubachi mela will be a huge success," Sonowal said while addressing the gathering as part of the inauguration programme.

Explaining about the project, managing director of AEGCL Satyendra Nath Kalita said: "It is one of the most modern power substations of the state. The first such substation was set up in the Jawahar Nagar area of Guwahati. Its main objective is to address the power reliability issue. During construction we faced many problems as the place has loose soil and so much sloppy. But our engineers have done a great job."

"The project was completed with a cost of Rs 80 crore and some of it was provided by the Assam government. The next and third such substation will have to be set up in the Sonapur area in eastern part of Kamrup (metro) district," an AEGCL official said.

Speaking on the occasion, AEGCL chairman Jishnu Barua said the power supply network of the sub-station will be extended up to central part of the city for which around Rs 8,000 crore will be needed. "We have already prepared the proposal for the extension," Barua said.

State power minister Topon Kumar Gogoi said very soon the power sector of Assam will be equipped with most modern technology. He thanked more than 13,000 power sector employees for their hard work.