As Thane grapples with an intense heatwave, inhabitants of Naupada Pachpakhadi find themselves contending with a troubling predicament: recurring power outages attributed to overloaded transformers. This dual challenge not only fosters frustration among locals but also poses a significant setback to the city's "Happiness Index."
The strain on transformers in Naupada Pachpakhadi arises from ongoing redevelopment projects governed by the 2020 "Unified Development Control and Promotion Regulations" (UDCPR). While the Thane Municipal Corporation issues building permits, it only supplies drinking water to these new constructions. The responsibility for boosting electricity capacity lies with Mahavitaran, the state power distribution company. However, building permits are granted without ensuring sufficient electricity infrastructure, resulting in overloaded transformers, notably exacerbated by a recent 50% surge in electricity demand due to the heatwave.
There are total 33 sub-stations in Thane city. The existing 22/11 KV Eternity and Raheja substations are supplying power to Naupada, Gokhale Road, and Vishnunagar area The 22/11 KV Power House substation is supplying electricity to residents in Ghantali, Thane Station, Mahagiri, District Collector's Office, and Udhatsar areas. “The cables are very old. If extra load comes, then cables burn and frequent power break down happen. Hence, we need a separate substation,” told Rajesh Masane, MSEDCL officer from the Naupada- Panchpakhadi area.
Citizens are facing long power outages, sometimes exceeding 30 minutes, due to faults in the overloaded HT cables. This disrupts daily life and is causing significant discomfort, particularly for those suffering from heatstroke. Each HT cable/feeder can only handle an electrical load of 200 amperes. Residents ans well as MSEDCL officials feel that if a new sub-station is established for the Naupadha-Pachpakhadi area, the electrical load on each HT cable/feeder will reduce to 100 amperes, and the frequency of power interruptions will definitely decrease significantly.
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Residents are urging the authorities to take immediate action.Residents as well as Mahavitaran officials propose establishing a new 22/11 KV GIS substation in the Naupada Pachpakhadi area. This would significantly reduce the load on the existing transformers and minimize power outages.
"We understand the water issue can be managed through wells and tankers," Mahendra Mone , a resident who has written a letter to the TMC. "However, the increasing demand for electricity requires proper planning and coordination between the Municipal Corporation and Mahavitaran. Due to power disruptions, refrigerator in my house got dilapidated. We are requesting the authorities to act swiftly and prioritize the well-being of the citizens,” Mone told LokmatTimes.com.
The residents believe that addressing this issue is crucial not only for restoring uninterrupted power supply but also for improving the city's overall well-being. They hope that by working together, the Municipal Corporation and Mahavitaran can find a solution that ensures reliable electricity access and contributes to a higher "Happiness Index" for Thane.
It is understood that the TMC commissioner has instructed the municipal officials to work on the plan of the new substation. TMC officials informed LokmatTimes.com that they are positively looking at this proposal and work on it. S. P. Ugile, Asst. Director Town planning, TMC deputy commissioner Manish Joshi, Yuvraj Meshram of the MSEDCL are working on the plan.