KARACHI, Oct 30: Amid complaints of prolonged power failures from many localities, the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation announced on Wednesday that it would carry an hour’s loadshedding from Thursday between 6pm and midnight.
Calling from North Karachi, North Nazimabad, Federal B. Area, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Gulistan-i-Jauhar and Pir Illahi Buksh Colony, residents told Dawn that their localities had experienced prolonged power breakdowns more than once.
A resident of Federal B. Area, Block 14, said his area had been without electricity for almost the whole day. “My complaint centre told me that a feeder or a line had tripped somewhere. But the centralized complaint centre said that it was a cable fault. I don’t know who was telling the truth.”
A teacher called from North Karachi, Sector 11-A, and said that his locality had been without electricity for more than two hours. “In the evening we had another spell of a prolonged power breakdown. These announced power cuts inconvenience everybody, especially children.”
Meanwhile, a spokesman for the KESC said that the power utility had arranged a German engineer for work on 132KV Grid station equipment at 132 KDA Valika.
He said that work on the system had started from Oct 30 and will continue till Nov 1.
The spokesman said that overhauling of the circuit would improve power supply of the grid stations of Federal B. Area, North Karachi, North Nazimbad, Orangi and Valika.
“Power supply of the areas supplied electricity from KDA- Valika circuit will be kept normal throughout the day hours by shifting the load to other circuits.
“However, during evening peak hours, between 6pm and midnight, the other circuits cannot take extra load therefore one hour rotational loadshedding will be carried out,” he explained.
The schedule of loadshedding is: From 6pm to 7pm Block 16, 19 and 20 Federal B. Area; Block 1, 2, 3, 6, 13D Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Cosmos Plaza, Yousuf Plaza, Anarkali Bazar, Sector 15-A1, Sector 15-A2 and 15-A Buffer Zone, North Karachi.
Sector 11-A, 11-B, 11-I North Karachi, Sanobar Cottage, Sector 5C-1, 5C-2, 5C-3, 5C-4, Sector 5B, 5D, 5J and 5M North Karachi, Block C, D, L and M.
Block B, J and K, North Nazimabad and Nazimabad No 1, 2 and 5.
From 7pm to 8pm: Block 7, 8, 9, 17, 18, 19 and 20 F.B. Area, # Good Earth Bungalows, Al-Asif Square, Industrial Area, Yaseenabad, Gulshan-Shamim, Sector 12A, 12B, 11F and 11G North Karachi.
Block C, F, G, H North Nazimabad, Firdous Colony Haji Moreed Goth, Nazimabad No 2.
From 8pm to 9pm: Blocks H, N, M North Nazimabad, Blocks 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 22 Federal B. Area, Sector 15A-2, 15A-4, 16A and 16B North Karachi
Sector 5D, 5F, 5G, 6B, 11F, 11L, 14A, 14B, North Karachi, Block D, E, G, H, J North Nazimabad and Siddiq Goth.
