- In the name of maintenance, there is power failure in the capital for two to four hours
Chronicle Reporter, Bhopal
Madhya Pradesh Electricity Distribution Company in the capital has started curtailment in the name of maintenance from April 1. This cut is being made at a time of the impending Lok Sabha elections, when it is extremely hot during the day. In such a situation, people are getting worried. The company had said two days ago that it would cut the rate by only one hour, but from Tuesday itself, it reduced the rate by two to four hours in many colonies of the city. Troubled residents are considering it a conspiracy.
According to company sources, there are 502 11 KV and about 100 33 KV feeders in the city, which supply energy to more than 4.5 lakh domestic consumers of the city. The power company has changed its strategy since last year. Maintenance of supply lines has been shifted to a new module, which is being carried out throughout the year instead of bi-annual pre and post monsoon maintenance.
Deduction started without release of schedule
Residents say that the electricity company has not prepared any schedule and is making arbitrary cuts even before that. Two days ago, the company had issued a schedule asking for one hour power cuts in 10 feeders every day for maintenance, but all that remained on paper. The general public is troubled by the unannounced power cuts happening at the headquarters without informing the consumers. When will the electricity come in the capital and when will it go out between 9 am to 4 pm? There is no fixed time for this. Officials are cutting off power in the name of maintenance, but as soon as the supply is restored after maintenance, they are cutting off the power again to repair the equipment which is repeatedly breaking down. From this it appears that departmental officers are installing poor quality equipment.
Reduction in these areas from 9 am to 2 pm
On Tuesday from 9 am to 2 pm Arera Colony, Arera Hills, Kohefiza, Bairagarh Chichli, Gaurav Nagar, Saket Nagar, 10 Number Market, Janki Nagar, Panchavati, Vitthal Nagar, MES Colony, Janaki Nagar, Housing Board Kohefiza, South Avenue. There was a power cut in Akash Ganga, K-L Sector, Geet Bungalow, ISRO Colony, Sagar Estate, Sharda Kunj, Rajat Nagar, Vivekananda Colony and surrounding areas. There was a power cut in E-3, E-4, E-6, Bairagarh Chichli, Arera Colony, Number 10 Market, Gaurav Nagar, Meenakhedi, Vipassana Centre, Satgarhi, Daulatpur and surrounding areas from 9 am to 2 pm. From 10.30 am to 12.30 pm, curfew was imposed in Saket Nagar, Panchvati, Rabindranath Tagore area and surrounding areas.
= The electricity distribution company has started cutting electricity for daily maintenance work from April 1 for the next one and a half months. This reduction is being made for one to three hours. Employees have to work by climbing the poles of high tension lines. There is a risk to life and property if the electricity remains on. We appeal to the public to cooperate with us. If maintenance is not done now, only the public will face problems during the rains.
– Zahid Aziz Khan,
GM, City Circle, Electricity Distribution Company, Bhopal
= Power cuts in the name of maintenance have caused trouble. Anger is spreading among the public. Especially at the time of Lok Sabha elections, shopkeepers are facing losses due to arbitrary cuts between 10 am and 4 pm.
– BK Sharma, Saket Nagar
= On one hand, people seem to be troubled by arbitrary bills from the electricity company and on the other hand, by indefinite cuts. The company should have done the maintenance before the start of summer. This sounds like a conspiracy to me.
– Deepak Gupta, Gopal Nagar
