KARACHI, April 29: The transmission and distribution system of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation broke down on Monday as the temperature rose to 43.4 degrees Centigrade.

Sources at the centralized complaint centre of the KESC told Dawn on Monday that complaints of power shutdowns had been received from Federal B Area, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Lines Area, Malir, Lea Market, Khwaja Ajmer Nagri, Gulistan-i-Jauher, Hijrat Colony, Pir Illahi Bux Colony, PECHS and Sindhi Muslim Cooperative Society.

A resident of Gulistan-i-Jauher, Block 16, told Dawn that phones at his complaint centre had been incessantly engaged. “The complaint centre of my area has two telephone numbers — 8117884 and 8119668 — but both of them remained engaged all the time. The officials had probably left the phones off the hook. Even phones at the centralized complaint centre 118 were busy all the time,” he said.

A resident of Defence, Phase 7, told Dawn that power shutdowns did not follow a schedule. “We have power shutdowns in the morning, in the evening and at night — practically any time. I have no idea why we pay taxes to the government that cannot ensure an uninterrupted supply of power.”

She said last week her locality had experienced a power closure for more than seven hours, adding that telephone lines at her complaint centre were either engaged or unattended.

A resident of PECHS, Block 6, said he had experienced a power shutdown from 2pm to 3.15pm.

The worst affected area was Orangi Town, sector 1C, which remained without electricity for more than eight hours. Mohammad Kashif, an area resident, told Dawn that having to live without electricity for hours on end was an unbearable ordeal. “I dread coming home these days because I know I will have to writhe in agony for quite some time.”

He suggested that instead of keeping one area without power for eight hours at a stretch, the KESC should resort to loadshedding on a rotation basis.

A resident of North Nazimabad, Block L, said his locality had been without power twice — first from 7am to 7.30am and second from 9am to 12 noon.

“We experience a power shutdown every day. If it is loadshedding, then we should be told about it,” he said.

A resident of Old Golimar told Dawn that his locality had been without power for more than four hours.

A resident of Federal B Area, Block 14, said his locality had been hit by frequent power shutdowns of late because of some cable problem. “When we contact our complaint centre we are told that there is some cable fault that KESC engineers are trying to rectify. They, however, don’t tell us when the cable fault would be removed once and for all.”

A resident of North Nazimabad, Block I, told Dawn her locality had been without electricity for more than three hours.

Another resident of North Nazimabad, Block I, told Dawn her locality had been without power since 8.30am. “Even when power supply is restored only for a little while voltage keeps on fluctuating,” she added.

A resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 14, told Dawn he had faced fluctuations of power supply which caused great damage to home appliances.

A resident calling from Gulistan-i-Jauher, Block 18, said his area had faced a power closure from 10am to 3pm. “When I reported the power shutdown to my regional complaint centre I was told to have patience because all KESC vehicles were busy,” he said.

A resident of Federal B Area, Block 12, told Dawn his locality had been without electricity the previous night.