Residents of Mulund are facing escalating frustration due to prolonged power outages, which intensified on the eve of Gudi Padwa with disruptions lasting over six hours in various areas. Preceding this, residents endured a midnight power outage plunging them into darkness. Despite vocalizing numerous complaints, residents find themselves powerless to address the situation as they lack the option to switch electricity providers.
Facing scorching temperatures without fans or AC units, Mulund locals expressed their discontent. "Last night, Amarnagar and neighbouring areas suffered a power outage for more than 2 hours. Power was restored only by 1:20 am," said a resident of Mulund West. The power supply was cut around 11 am and was restored only by 6 pm.
People also witnessed a power cut on Sunday. A resident expressed on X, "Power has been cut in Mulund West Panch Rasta area since 2:30 am. I don't understand how there can be a power cut on Sunday night when tomorrow is a working Monday?" On Sunday night, Tambe Nagar residents in Mulund also faced power cuts for four hours.
While speaking to MSEDCL Mulund Engineer said, "It was a cable fault in the area which led to the outage, but it was rectified in an hour." However, Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL) attributed the damage to three LT (Low Tension) cables near Agrawal Hospital Mulund West, caused by BMC excavation and repair work. Despite the disruptions, officials denied reports of frequent power cuts, emphasizing the area's maintenance readiness.
He further clarified that Mulund has three complaint stations dedicated to addressing residents' electricity-related concerns, located in Sarvoday Nagar, Panch Rasta, and Neelam Nagar. However, when speaking with the station officer, he also refuted receiving any complaints regarding power outages and frequent interruptions.
For many it is not just about the power outage on Gudi Padwa, they have been making complaints regarding the frequent power cuts. Sagar Devre, a resident, recounted a three-hour outage the day before Gudi Padwa, remarking on the difficulties faced during the hot night. Another resident expressed concerns about the adverse impact of frequent cuts on home appliances and the inconvenience caused to senior citizens due to elevator stoppages.
A few residents also expressed that they should have the option to choose their electricity supplier. Mulund Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Mihir Kotecha highlighted the issue in the Assembly and suggested the Tata Power Company as an alternate supplier. However, opposition from MSEDCL led to a stalemate. While speaking to LokmatTimes, he said, "Mulund has no other supplier than MSEDCL. We need a choice, for which I have urged the State government to look into it. It is not just about suppliers, but the maintenance services MSEDCL provide. MSEDCL is unable to look into the maintenance part, be it glitches in the light or the big issues." Despite his appeals to the state government for intervention, he noted that MSEDCL employees have threatened protests in response.
MSEDCL opposed granting a parallel distribution license to any private company and announced a strike when a subsidiary of Adani Transmission, sought approval from the Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission (MERC) for a parallel license to distribute power in areas under the jurisdiction of Mahavitaran, including Bhandup, Mulund, Thane, and others.
Kotecha pointed out the severity of the power supply situation in Mulund, especially since the onset of the pandemic. He pointed out that out of 365 days in a year, there have been power cuts on at least 300 days. Kotecha also wrote to the MSEDCL chief engineer, questioning the reasons behind the sudden power cuts and the absence of prior 15-day notices.