Mumbai: BEST sanctions Rs 20 cr plan for power cuts as citizens lose their cool

Girgaon residents vent their anger after experiencing a power cut on Monday. Pics/By Special Arrangement

AMID complaints of recurring power cuts across the city, the Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking on Tuesday admitted that its 12-year austerity drive, along with no recruitments and investment in the electricity wing, was leading to the virtual collapse of its electric department.

It is now drawing up a Rs 20 crore plan and deploying special personnel and equipment to deal with surging power outages. The undertaking is also taking bus drivers and mechanics from the transport department on loan to assist in power-related operations.

While officials blamed railway and Metro work for cable-fault issues, BEST committee members called for a fixed time frame to rectify them.

Girgaon power cut

Speaking about a power outage in Girgaon that lasted for hours on Monday, an official said, "The problem was caused by a fault in 33kV cable. There were limitations in accessing the cable as it runs 14 feet below the railway lines at Marine Lines. Work carried out during the construction phase of the Aqua Line had left many of our cables tied up or hanging, leaving no space, especially at spots such as Girgaon and Hutatma Chowk. BEST has about 13,000 km of high and low-voltage cables. When there is a fault, the load is transferred onto a backup cable. In the Girgaon case, the backup cable, too, got damaged."

Key features of action plan

>> Recruitment of about 690 field workers to expedite repairs
>> On-loan transfer of 127 drivers and 100 mechanics from the traffic division to assist in attending off-supply complaints
>> Hiring of diesel generator sets and aerial lifts with crew for prompt restoration of electric supply in case of cable faults
>> Establishment of additional fault control at Tardeo for quick resolution of power
>> Repairing cable faults of critical nature will be taken on a war footing to ensure supply reliability

Chairperson Speak

Trushna Vishwasrao, BEST Chairperson
‘I have sought an assurance and guarantee that there will be no long power cuts [like the one in Girgaon]. We have given all the infrastructure and funding required to the department to fix the problem. We will not tolerate such issues henceforth. We are all answerable to the public and BEST consumers'

Voices

Aakash Raj Purohit, BEST committee member
‘Monday was a black day. Power cuts are lasting up to 14 hours, and there is no respite in places like Pathakwadi in Kalbadevi. The helplines don't work, and residents have no clue when power will be restored or what is wrong'

Sunil Ganacharya, BEST committee member
‘Even when the Wi-Fi in our home goes away, the company sends messages alerting consumers. Our consumers are clueless. They should be alerted and updated. They pay their bills, so shouldn't they expect that at least?'

Dr Nitin Nandgaonkar, BEST committee member
‘At Girgaon, the situation was so bad that the police had to be called in to protect our staff. People are angry, and the anger is spilling onto the streets. The BEST needs to buckle up and do something urgently'