Sangvi residents irate over frequent power cuts, MSEDCL blames PCMC

The residents of Sangvi are frustrated due to frequent power cuts which officials of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) say is because of the civic body’s road digging work

The residents of Sangvi are frustrated due to frequent power cuts which officials of the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company (MSEDCL) say is because of the civic body’s road digging work.

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The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is carrying out road development work in Sangvi due to which MSEDCL has registered 405 underground high tension and low-tension cable damages in the past one year.

In Pimpri division, Sangvi is a subdivision which includes Wakad, Tathavade, old and new Sangvi, Pimple Saudagar, Pimple Gurav, Pimple Nilakh, Vishal nagar and Thergaon area. The MSEDCL supplies power to around two lakh residents.

Sandesh Pawar, resident of Mamtanagar, Sangvi said, “Our whole family tested positive. We have had a home quarantine for the last eight days. We are suffering a frequent power failure in our areas. We cannot go outside, and have to sit at home despite power failure. One one side, patients are struggling to get oxygen bed, ambulance, Remdesivir injection, vaccination and on the other, we have to struggle to get uninterrupted power. We are facing a very difficult situation.”

Rohit Suryawanshi, resident of Sangvi, “I am working in an IT firm and doing work from home but, frequent power failure creates huge problems at work from home. In a day, we face power failure almost twice in a day, the situation is very unbearable one.”

Shivaji Waifalka, executive engineer of Pimpri division of MSEDCL said, “In Sangvi area, the PCMC has undertaken road development work in which daily two-three underground cables of MSEDCL are damaged and residents have to face power failure problems during summer season. We have written several letters to PCMC officials to take care of underground cables and coordinate with MSEDCL officials during their work. However, the PCMC officials, especially contractors, are not co-operating with MSEDCL officials. Due to which, people have to face frequent power failure problems. In the last month, MSEDCL conducted a load shedding in Sangvi as 132 kilowatt high tension underground cables were damaged.”

Vijay Bhojane, additional city engineer of PCMC said, “The PCMC is carrying out development work of road, water and drainage department as well as smart city work. We have given instruction to the contractor to contact the MSEDCL person before doing any digging work. However, MSEDCL is not able to provide a person who can guide contractors and workers about underground electrical cables.”

MSEDCL cautions PCMC

MSEDCL officials have informed PCMC about the interruption of power supply to Covid hospitals in Sangvi. MSEDCL mentioned in a press release that if PCMC fails to take precaution during development work there are chances of power failure in Covid-19 hospitals as well as other hospitals located in Sangvi area.