KARACHI, July 2: Karachi Electric Supply Corporation consumers faced prolonged power breakdowns on Wednesday when the transmission and distribution system of the power utility developed a fault.

Angry KESC consumers called from many localities of the city to express their anger over prolonged power breakdowns.

They demanded action against the officials running the show in the KESC, and said the so-called complaint centres were manned by the staff who were extremely rude and ill-informed.

Calling from Osmanabad, Ghas Mandi, Ghanchi Para, Eid Gah, Miran Haji Camp, Risala, Bhimpura and Siddiq Wahab Road, residents said the power breakdown which occurred at 11pm on the night of July 1 continued till 11am in the morning.

A resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Block 14, said that a power breakdown occurred in his locality at around 12 noon on Wednesday which lasted till 5.30 in the evening.

Even after the restoration of the power supply, many intermittent power breakdowns continued,” he said.

Kashif Samoo, a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 6, said his locality had faced a 20-hour-long power breakdown. “When I lodged a complaint at the centralized complaint centre, I was told that there was no power breakdown in my locality,” he said.

A resident of P&T society, Korangi, said his locality faced a constant problem of low voltage which caused problems for area people.

M. M. Mehdi, a resident of Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 5, said a power breakdown had occurred in his locality at 3am the previous night. “The power supply was restored around 4.30am. The next power breakdown occurred at 7am which lasted for an hour. The third power breakdown occurred at 11am which continued till 2pm. The fourth power breakdown continued from 3pm to 6pm. Voltage supply remained erratic even after the restoration of the power supply.”

Faisal Amin, a resident of PECHS, Block 3, said that power supply remained disturbed in his area between 4.30am and 1pm.

After an interval of half-an-hour, another power breakdown occurred which continued till 5pm.

“Whenever we called the regional complaint centre, we found their phones engaged.”

Calling from Federal B. Area, Sulaiman Vohra said his export company in West Wharf faced prolonged power breakdowns.

“When we called our complaint centre on July 1 after a power breakdown in the evening, we were informed that the supply had been switched off to make arrangements for the visit of the chief minister. The power supply was restored late in the night.”

He said the restoration of the power supply followed sharp voltage fluctuations which damaged several electrical appliances.

“The KESC used to function smoothly in the past. The army has ruined the KESC. It no longer responds to complaints.”

Calling from Rizvia Society, a resident said his locality faced a power breakdown for more than 24 hours.

“We suffered a major power breakdown on July 1. The power supply was restored around 5pm on Wednesday. This caused a great deal of unrest in the locality.”

“The army officials are seen conducting raids against so-called defaulters. They are seen changing meters in the city to increase the KESC revenue, but they are never seen fixing power breakdowns. They are least bothered about the sufferings of consumers,” he said.

Calling from Gulshan-i-Iqbal, Block 14, Shahzad Bakhsh said the previous night a power breakdown occurred around 12.30am. The power supply was restored at 3.30am, he added.

Teachers of the University of Karachi said that since the previous night, they had experienced a 13-hour-long power breakdown.