KARACHI, April 18: A vast area of the metropolis plunged into darkness on Tuesday night when the city experienced power shortage of almost 200 megawatts and five main cables were damaged near the National Stadium.
Areas that would remain without power due to the broken cables are Bahadurabad, KDA Scheme-1, Dhorajee Society, parts of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, and localities at both end of the Shaheed-i-Millat Road.
The spokesman for the power utility said that the arrangement to feedback the affected localities were underway and the power would be restored in those areas by or after midnight.
He said that some workers were digging the ground for development work at around 4pm near National Stadium where five underground main cables of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation were severed. The work to repair cables had been started but it would take days to complete.
The city has been experiencing 150 to 200MW power shortage as the work on Hubco-Baldia link was in progress and it would be completed by April 31. Due to the work, the KDA-Baldia circuit had been switched off causing power interruption in Baldia Town and its adjoining areas. Besides, one power-generating unit at Bin Qasim Thermal Power Station had not been functioning properly.
The spokesman said that a deadline to complete the work on Hubco-Baldia link had been given and he hoped that the work would be completed at stipulated time. Due to the downing of link and damaged cables, the KESC had been forced to carry out group-wise loadshedding not more than one hour in each locality, he added.
However, people from various localities complained that the power breakdown in their areas were frequent.
A resident of F.B Area’s Block-15 said that for the last two days the KESC was carrying out unannounced load shedding in his locality. “On Monday, there were two breakdowns for two hours each. On Tuesday, power supply was interrupted for two hours in the afternoon,” he added.
Another resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal criticised the management of the KESC and said that it seemed that the new management did not intend to invest money to improve the delicate transmission and distribution system.
A resident from Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Block 20, said that the power was shut down at around 1pm and it was restored by 2.30pm. Another consumer in Block-18 said that the electricity supply was discontinued at around 8:45pm for an hour in his locality.
An irate consumer from Block-13 in Gulberg said that there had been frequent power breakdowns in his area for the past two days but KESC officials did not heed to complaints and redress the grievances of people.
A resident of Defence Phase VI said that there was a breakdown at 11am and later in the evening at 4pm for more than an hour. “This becomes a routine feature and the power utility has been carrying out loadshedding for the past many days without any announcement,” she added.
A resident of Block-L in North Nazimabad said that the power went off at 7pm and it was not restored late in the night. “We have been hearing about efforts for improvement of the feeble power system since long but when the system will actually be improved”, he queried.
Another consumer told Dawn that surrounding areas of Jehangir Road had been without electricity since 7pm till late in night.
