Hyderabad: Power cuts return to haunt citizens

Hyderabad: Even as the State government claims of no power disruption, irregular power cuts are back to haunt the city residents. Power disruptions ranging from four to six hours daily are being experienced in various areas causing inconvenience to people and forcing them to spend hours without power.

With lack of proper maintenance by the Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Ltd (TSSPDCL), the areas, specially the southern part of the city, people are witnessing only six to eight hours of supply in a day as power cuts are being observed three to four times a day as well as in night.

Most areas such as Santoshnagar, Saidabad, Malakpet, Bahadurpura, Shalibanda, Moghalpura, Falaknuma, Nampally and various operational divisions are facing unprecedented power cuts. Though the TSSPDCL staff is responding to complaints in daytime, people say during nights there is no response.

Hamad Ahmed, a senior citizen of Shalibanda rued, "for last few days we are witnessing such unprecedented power cuts in the area. Power cuts are being witnessed four times in a day and several times in 24 hours raising concern for electric appliances which may get damaged due to recurrent power-offs."

S K Goud of Bahadurpura said "several times the issue of overload on transformers and worn out cable wires in Bahadurpura and Kishanbagh were brought to the notice of TSSPDCL officials. The cables wires are turning red due to overload and fuses are blowing every hour; but nothing has been done even after several complaints," he lamented.

According to Mohammed Ahmed, a social activist, erratic power supply is due to low maintenance. There was no cutting of tree branches for line clearance, and no proper maintenance in monsoon season in substations, transformers by the department. Though no heavy rainfall was witnessed; during rain and wind blow there was fluctuation, frequent breakdown and long hours of power cuts in various areas.

Various Old city areas are facing four-five hours of power cut every day with intervals. Even during nights, around 2 to 4 am, there is power shut-down. "When residents contact the concerned officers there is no response; no officer is available at the FOC (fuse off call) office. And, officers say there is no budget in the department to solve this issue," added Ahmed.

However, the department officials say no major breakdown has been reported in the south zone area. "There were only scheduled power cuts due to maintenance or other reasons; the department will look into the problem.