Unscheduled power cuts haunt people

HYDERABAD: In a bizarre twist to the functioning of authorities, taking the pretext of pruning trees, several parts in the twin cities have been subject to unofficial power for quite a while now.

Given the noticeable increase in power consumption as summer is almost here, the public is already worried about an extension of this load-shedding exercise.
On Wednesday, over 81 localities had scheduled power cuts, according to the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TSSPDCL) website. The reasons attributed for more than 50 of them are “tree cutting”. Other reasons included maintenance work and erection of new poles.

When this correspondent visited the three regions mentioned in the list — Banjara Hills, Secunderabad division and Habsiguda — at no place had trees been cut.

Kirti Allam R. from Musheerabad, an area that had both scheduled and unscheduled power cuts in the past, said, “How can there be maintenance works every single day? We’ve now come to the point of accepting it as the norm. The power cuts were horrible in the summers of 2020 and 2021 since we worked from home. Thankfully, we now are at our workplaces during those hours and the power cuts won't affect us as much. Unfortunately, our families will have to bear the brunt.”

Joshua Samson Amjala, who resides in Habsiguda, said that they have been seeing power cuts every summer.

“None of them have been ‘scheduled’, nor have I ever received a message regarding the same. Why this happens only in certain areas is beyond my comprehension. This is even after we pay our bills in time,” he said.
Sanisha Zoan from Peerzadiguda stated that they never get to know of scheduled power cuts but is glad that they aren’t happening as often now.

“We’re told it’s for maintenance work but nobody ever knows why they have to happen so often.”

Telangana State Electricity Regulatory Commission chairman Sriranga Rao T. confirmed that the consumption of power in the GHMC jurisdiction rose to above average in the past two weeks.

A source from TSSPDCL said that on Tuesday, the GHMC had consumed 55 million units, while on an average it stands at 49 million units. The summer loads in from April to mid-June are expected to be around 75-80 million units and the team is working round the clock to meet that demand. There is no need to worry about power cuts this, said Srinivas Reddy, director of operations.

“We have a plan of action in place already. By March-end, we would have erected several transformers and around 600 additional transformers at substations. We have already put up new control rooms in each circle office,” he told DC. Sriranga Rao said that close to Rs 35 crore has been invested to ensure there is no power shortage in the state. “There has been no power shortage or cuts to domestic or industrial and commercial areas in the city. There is limited power supply only to the agricultural sector, that too because it was suggested by farmers themselves during multiple interactions via Bharatiya Kisan Sangh, as they don't require 24-hour power supply,” Rao added.