Hyderabad: The tall claims of “no power cuts” is old story. Large number of localities face power shutdowns in the city. The power utilities call centre 1912 are getting 6,000 complaints about supply breaks.
While there are instructions that power shutdowns for repairs should be taken up only during non-peak hours between 9 am and 5 pm with a gap of one or two hours, complaints of power tripping between 6 pm and 10 pm are being lodged from almost all parts of the city.
Residents said they were getting standard replies from officials that repairs and maintenance works were being taken up. Consumers insist that the government should ensure that there are no power interruptions especially during peak hours. If they are necessary, they should be kept to the minimum.
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“While the TRS ministers claim 24x7 power supply is being given to the city, the situation faced by consumers is entirely different and many a times unbearable. Power supply has been tripping frequently for the last two months. If it was tree branches falling on the power lines and poles getting damaged due to heavy winds a few months ago, now the officials are saying that repairs and maintenance works are being taken up. Is there no relief to the citizens from these unscheduled power shut downs,” asked Ch Venkat Narayana Reddy, administrator in a private school and resident of Jubilee Hills.
What is more annoying to the consumers is the shutdowns during peak hours. “Children come back from school at about 5 pm. Power supply is going off around 4 pm and is being restored by about 8 pm. This has been happening thrice a week in our colony for the past month. Study hours at home are lost,” said Ms Tejasvini Rao, a home-maker and resident of Tata Chary Colony in Shyamlal Buildings.
Officials said they were geared up to meet even 10,000 MW peak demand as power purchases have been made that was after anticipating demand. “There is no shortage of power. People should understand that we have to undertake some improvement works also that are taken up as needed like replacement of old wires and poles with new ones, in addition to attending to local problems like tripping of feeders,” said an official from TS Southern Discom.
