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Lucknowites see red as daily blackouts become a norm
One of the biggest protests was reported from Neelmatha’s Vijay Nagar and Shahinoor Colony, where over 500 households remained without power for nearly 16 hours after a transformer fault
LUCKNOW As prolonged power cuts continued to cripple several parts of Lucknow amid the heatwave, protests intensified across the city with angry residents gheraoing power substations through Thursday night and Friday, alleging complete failure of the electricity distribution system and accusing officials of remaining inaccessible despite repeated complaints.
From Neelmatha to Rajajipuram, Aishbagh to Indira Nagar and Chinhat to Gomti Nagar Extension, people spent sleepless nights in sweltering heat as outages stretching from six to 16 hours disrupted electricity and water supply, forcing people onto the streets.
One of the biggest protests was reported from Neelmatha’s Vijay Nagar and Shahinoor Colony, where over 500 households remained without power for nearly 16 hours after a transformer installed near Noor Palace developed a fault late Thursday night. Residents alleged that despite repeated assurances, the electricity department failed to replace the damaged transformer. The prolonged outage also triggered a severe water crisis as submersible pumps stopped functioning.
Frustrated residents gathered at the substation around 1.30 am on Friday and continued their protest till nearly 3.30 am. Police personnel later reached the spot and pacified the crowd after assurances that supply would be restored at the earliest.
In Rajajipuram’s F Block, a large number of residents reached the substation between 11.30pm on Thursday and 3.30am on Friday, alleging that the locality was been facing daily outages for the past 10 days. Residents claimed that electricity remains unavailable from around 11pm till 3am almost every night, while extremely low voltage.
Protesters also alleged that officials and engineers were not answering phone calls during emergencies.
The situation remained tense in Aishbagh as residents of Shastri Nagar, Nigam Bagh and Kundri Rakabganj complained of continuous outages lasting several hours. They protested from 11.30pm on Thursday to 3am on Friday.
At Bani power house, angry consumers gathered around 1.30am and warned employees of serious consequences if supply was not restored. Similar demonstrations were reported at the Sector-25 Indira Nagar substation, where residents staged a protest from 11.30pm on Thursday till around 2am on Friday demanding restoration of electricity.
Massive resentment was also visible in Khargapur, Kaushalpuri, Gangotri Vihar and Chhota Bharwara areas, where residents faced an eight-hour power outage from 8.30pm on Thursday till 6am on Friday.
In Bijnore area, power supply remained disrupted for more than six hours from 2am till 10.30am on Friday, while consumers in Shivpuri locality under Gomti Nagar zone remained without electricity for nearly four hours.
The crisis deepened further in Chinhat after a 100 KVA transformer installed beneath the Chinhat Tiraha overbridge caught fire late on Thursday night. Firefighters managed to control the blaze, but residents alleged that no replacement transformer had been installed even after seven hours, plunging stretches of Ayodhya Road into darkness.
In Lalbagh area, under Vidhayak Niwas feeder, electricity supply remained disrupted since 2pm on Friday due to a cable fault. The prolonged outage affected water supply and routine work in the area.
In Chowk on Napier Road, electricity supply remained disrupted from 11am till 3pm after a transformer cable burnt out. Residents of Ashraf Vihar in Chinhat also endured nearly nine hours without power.
Demonstrations continued throughout Friday at multiple substations, including Gomti Nagar Sector-5 and Jankipuram, where residents raised slogans against the electricity department and demanded immediate restoration of supply. In Geetapalli ward under Cantonment Assembly constituency, residents of Madhuban Nagar staged a sit-in protest outside the executive engineer’s office at Pakri Pul after enduring nearly 26 hours of power disruption.
Two linemen — identified as Kamlesh and Guddu — suffered burn injuries during repair work in Pink City, Jankipuram Extension. According to officials, a flash fire erupted while workers were fixing an LT line in Tiwaripur area.
Officials admitted that increasing load severely strained infrastructure in several areas. In Indralok Colony substation area, the junior engineer reportedly wrote to higher authorities seeking enhancement of transformer capacity.
Chief engineer Ravi Kumar Agarwal said MVVNL MD Riya Kejriwal ordered immediate action on all consumer complaints and directed all substation staff and engineers to remain available on their official CUG numbers round the clock.
Riya Kejriwal said strict action would be taken against negligent employees and officials in areas where repeated protests and demonstrations are taking place due to power failures.
