KARACHI, April 13: Power breakdowns continued to plague the lives of many consumers of the Karachi Electric Supply Corporation as the power utility carried out repair work in some areas on Sunday.

Some people calling from Federal B Area, Liaquatabad and North Nazimabad said they were not aware that the KESC had shut down power supply to their localities because the power utility was carrying out repair work.

However, sources working in the centralized complaint centre, better known as 118, told Dawn that the shutdown had lasted longer than expected. “The power shutdown was supposed to end at 6pm, but in most cases it lasted longer than that,” they said.

Calling from Orangi Town, a consumer said that while his street had received electrical power after a long shutdown, his house had another power breakdown soon after the restoration of electric supply.

“It was tormenting to lose electricity supply after such a long power breakdown. I also knew that a KESC vehicle would not come any time soon. True to form, the KESC vehicle came after two hours to rectify a fault which took them less than ten minutes to fix,” he recalled.

Calling from New Karachi, a resident said he was amused to read in Sunday’s newspapers that the KESC had to make arrangements for a bamboo ladder where streets were too narrow for KESC vehicles to enter.

The resident said that streets in New Karachi were wide enough for KESC vehicles to enter but quite often power utility personnel came with ladders etc.

“This takes more time than required to fix a fault because a motorized ladder can adjust the position of a KESC staff at work quickly. Senior KESC officials should advise their staff to bring KESC vehicles to New Karachi unless they are afraid of law and order situation.”