Coimbatore Residents Endure Nightmarish Power Outages as Evening Complaints Go Unattended
In Coimbatore, a relaxing evening turned into a stressful ordeal for residents of a residential complex at Gandhi Nagar near Masakkalipalayam on February 5. Around 5 PM, after a hectic day at work and school, families were about to unwind when a sudden power outage plunged the area into darkness, creating a gloomy atmosphere.
The inmates promptly registered an online complaint and contacted the round-the-clock customer care number of the Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (TNPDCL). An executive collected their details and assured them that a team from the Singanallur sub-station would attend to the issue. However, hours passed with no visit or contact from the utility.
Systemic Failures and Official Apathy
When residents called the customer care again after a few hours, they were informed that physical work could not be carried out late in the evening due to safety protocols. Consequently, they spent the entire night without power, unable to use fans, lights, or charge their phones.
This incident is not isolated. Evening power breakdowns have become a persistent headache for Coimbatore residents, often transforming what should be relaxing or productive time into a stressful experience. The situation escalates when outages go unattended for several hours or until the next morning, making nights nightmarish.
A Raja, a resident of Gandhi Nagar, explains the difficulty in reaching TNPDCL officials during evenings. "Officials state they can only address grievances in the mornings, as foremen are not permitted to climb poles or work on transformers after 6 PM. This forces us to manage long hours without essential amenities," he says.
According to Raja, power outages at night make it impossible to stay indoors comfortably, particularly for children and the elderly. "My son, studying in Class X, was preparing for a pre-board exam on the day of the incident. He was unable to study due to the power outage. Officials must ensure quick redressal and restore supply during evening and night hours to prevent prolonged hardship," he emphasizes.
Consumer Advocacy and Ineffective Systems
N Logu, secretary of Coimbatore Consumer Voice, points out that the city has three fuse off call (FOC) centers, each equipped with a foreman, a line inspector, and a superintendent to supervise them. "They possess the required equipment to resolve faults disrupting power supply. However, the system is not functioning effectively. Lethargy is the primary reason why calls go unattended," he asserts.
Logu stresses that superintendents should monitor teams actively, and TNPDCL should seek feedback from complainants. "If FOC centers operate efficiently, power supply could be restored promptly," he adds.
Sharing a personal experience, Logu recounts registering a complaint about a power breakdown during late hours. "I passed the message to officers, but no one responded until morning. Eventually, I contacted a lineman I knew personally, who resolved the issue. Not everyone has such connections, leaving general people to suffer due to official apathy," he notes.
Official Response and Safety Concerns
A TNPDCL official states that complaints are attended to, with teams dispatched within a few hours when multiple houses are affected. "For one or two houses, we cannot deploy our team due to safety concerns. If an area experiences a power outage, our FOC team will reach the spot and resolve the issue as soon as possible," the official explains.
Efforts by journalists to contact TNPDCL Coimbatore Metro Chief Engineer Suresh Kumar for further comments went unanswered, highlighting communication gaps in addressing public grievances.
