Lucknow: Amid deepening power crisis in the city, BJP’s Sarojini Nagar MLA Rajeshwar Singh on Thursday questioned the functioning of the power distribution system. He shot off a letter to energy minister AK Sharma, calling for urgent structural reforms.
MLA Flags Recurring Issues
In his 10-page letter, Singh flagged recurring issues such as frequent outages, low voltage, transformer failures and feeder tripping, stating these problems have persisted over the years and worsened during the ongoing heatwave.
The BJP MLA highlighted several localities in his constituency that are facing severe electricity disruptions. “Why UPPCL has failed to create a dedicated senior officer level quick response mechanism despite recurring annual crises,” questioned the MLA in his letter.
Demand for Comprehensive Review
He demanded a comprehensive review incorporating past and current complaints, transformer failure data and outage history, along with complaint-wise mapping to identify fault-prone areas.
Public Anger Spills onto Streets
The letter comes as public anger spills onto the streets. On Thursday morning, residents blocked Mohan road and Rae Bareli road, staging a two-hour protest. Protesters alleged that transformers conked off, leaving them without water or electricity while officials remained unreachable. Reports of locked substations and non-responsive officials further intensified public outrage.
Authorities Swing into Action
The crisis has forced authorities into action, with MVVNL on Thursday cancelling leaves of electricity staff across 19 districts until July 31 and recalling personnel to manage the situation.
Long-Term Solutions Urged
Singh has urged authorities to move beyond temporary fixes and adopt a long-term, data-driven approach, including infrastructure upgrades, real-time monitoring and accountability for recurring failures.
