Power cuts in eastern suburbs hit WFH, online schooling amid lockdown

We have work from home, virtual school all going for toss due to power cut, a resident said

The eastern suburbs of Kanjurmarg, Bhandup and Mulund have been severely affected due random power cuts by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd with residents complaining that it has not just made their life miserable in the lockdown period, but also affected work from home and online class sessions.

"Yes. The power cuts have become more and more frequent and they affect everything. It is more important during these days to have an uninterrupted power supply as most of the things are working online. When the power supply goes off, it shuts down local internet networks too, leading to waste of crucial time," a local resident Navneet Pardeshi said.

A local resident said that power cuts happens at odd hours like 3 am in the night

"I am quite surprised to see such power cuts in a metropolis like Mumbai. We have work from home, virtual school all going for toss," another resident Nirav Thakkar said.

"And to add salt to the injury MSEDCL has increased rates, not taking meter readings, trying to extort money by giving average bills with no assurance of fair adjustments," another resident Kaushik D said.

Another resident Anikt Gala said that the moment the power cuts happens, all the complaint land lines go busy. "Nowadays, many-a-times, the power cut is at odd hours like 3 am in the night. This is all unfair," he said.

While MSEDCL spokesperson did not comment, an official said the disruptions were minimal and due to rain-related issues and will be fixed up soon.

Local Member of Legislative Assembly Mihir Kotecha said the issue was crucial since power cuts also affected the home isolation of patients. He said he had taken up the issue with the authorities. "Power has been disrupted practically every single day for hours and hours in Mulund. Home isolation of patients, online school, work from home without electricity is impossible. I request the government that they should ensure that there should not be any power breakdown at least in a city like Mumbai," he added.

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