The following areas in Chennai will have a five-hour power shut down on July 22, Wednesday for maintenance work, according to a release from Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO). Power will be shut down from 9 am to 2 pm in these localities.
Tambaram-Chitlapakkam: Ragavendra Salai, Chitlapakkam 3rd Main Road, Ramanar Street, Ponniamman Nagar and MMDA Nagar and Kattabomman Street.
Minjur: Minjur town, TH road, Theradi Street, Seemapuram, RR Palayam, Ariyanvoyal, Pudhupedu, Nandhiambakkam, Melur, Pattamandhiri, Vallur, Athipattu, SR Palayam, GR Palayam, Kondakarai, Pallipuram and Vazhuthigaimedu.
Mathur: Chinna Samy Nagar, MMDA 1st and 2nd Main Road, Omalumedu Street, Sakthi Nagar, Nehru Nagar, Perumal Koil Street, Telecom Nagar, Periya Mathur, Pudhu nagar, Manjambakkam Erikarai, Parvathipuram, Industrial Garden, Srinivasa Modern Town, Annai Nagar, Vetri Nagar, Dhanalakshimi nagar and Chettimedu.
Meanwhile, in Tamil Nadu, the hiked electricity bills from TANGEDCO of charges accumulated during the lockdown period, has shocked consumers. According to reports, the state’s main opposition party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) staged protests with black flags in districts like Coimbatore, Erode Salem, Namakkal and Krishnagiri on Tuesday. The protesters alleged that several states like Kerala, Maharashtra have offered subsidies in power charges and demanded the state government to justify exorbitant electricity bills.
A government order had said that consumers accumulating the dues during the lockdown period will have to clear them in one cycle as soon as the lockdown is lifted. This drew flak from many who pointed out the burden it created among the general public.
Earlier last month, Madras High Court had issued a notice to TANGEDCO to respond to the issue. The department had responded saying the higher power charges were on account of increased consumption by people who were spending more time at home due to lockdown. Later, on July 15, the court gave TANGEDCO a clean chit and justified its power bill calculation.