Amidst the frenetic political activity in Bengaluru with elections around the corner, nothing much seems to have changed for the residents who continue to suffer from wide-ranging power cuts across the city.
Though the Karnataka government has been claiming that it is generating more power than is required, Bengulureans have a different story to tell.
Since last week, Twitter has been flooded with complaints directed at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) regarding power outages across the city.
On Sunday, BESCOM’s helpline number was blocked due to a high volume of calls from miffed residents.
But top officials of BESCOM and the Energy Department remain tight-lipped regarding the crisis.
“Indiranagar and Koramangala are facing temporary load shedding from the power station as one aspect of a gas-insulated station is out of order. It's a technical issue. We have a surplus power supply. This is an issue with Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited which distributes power. The problem in these two areas should be resolved soon,” Manjunath, Assistant Executive, BESCOM told TNM.
Another official attributed line constraints, heavy winds, breaking of poles, maintenance works or falling of trees, as some of the reasons for these power outages.
This spell of power cuts comes just two months after Energy Minister DK Shivakumar claimed that there would be no power shortage this summer. P Rajendra Cholan, Managing Director of BESCOM too had claimed that the city has surplus power.
The complainants allege that power supply was interrupted at untimely hours for long periods of time, sometimes even lasting upto four hours.
Many areas are facing power cuts post midnight. For some, who are preparing for entrance exams, these outages are becoming a great inconvenience.
Some of the areas which are reeling under power cuts are Indira Nagar, BTM, Koramangala, Kalyan Nagar, Sarjapur road among others. However, the BESCOM website does not mention any of these areas under scheduled or unscheduled power outages.
But complaints have been falling on deaf ears, according to the Twitterati.
“Dear BESCOM. Even after multiple complaints through 1912, there is no response or improvement in 17th cross, Indira Nagar, Bangalore,” a user tweeted.
“There are power cuts more often now, during the summer. Although we have a backup generator in the apartment, home appliances like geysers, water filters and refrigerators do not run. Food in the refrigerator gets stale and we sometimes have to buy drinking water from the store,” said Srividya Yeleswarapu, a resident of Sarjapur Road, Kaikondrahalli.
Kushagra Mallick, a resident of BTM Stage 2 claimed that the area experiences power outages twice every day.
Incidentally, last week, Delhi’s Lt Governor approved a proposal mandating an hourly compensation to be paid to consumers by discoms in case of unscheduled power cuts, beyond one hour. The compensation is Rs 50 for the first hour and Rs 100 for the following hours.
Annoyed residents are now demanding such a system in Bengaluru too.