Power utility disempowers non-BSNL telecom customers

Only BSNL users can access 24-hr helpline introduced by MSEDCL for power woes

Power utility disempowers non-BSNL telecom customers

Only BSNL users can access 24-hr helpline introduced by MSEDCL for power woesu00a0

Those with a Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL) landline number can consider themselves lucky; at least when the power goes off in their area. For the state power utility, namely the Maharashtra State Electricty Distribution Company Limited, has chosen to make their emergency services available only to BSNL
customers. And those availing of services by other telecom companies; well, they may as well brook the inconvenience in case of power failure.u00a0

The round-the-clock helpline 1800-233435, provided by the MSEDCL two days ago, cannot be accessed by users of other service providers. Repeated calls by MiD DAY from a non-BSNL number remained unanswered.
A MSEDCL official then told MiD DAY that the number could be accessed only by BSNL users. Other officialsu00a0 refused to comment about the issue and remained ambiguous when asked about the helpline. "We have a tie-up with the BSNL for the number and since it is toll-free, we foot the bills. That is why only BSNL customers can get through the number," said an official on condition of anonymity. The number was provided by the MSEDCL, so that its customers could call the engineers and linesmen in case of power outages.

For non-BSNL customers the affliction does end here, as even the various divisional officers are inaccessible. Notwithstanding the toll-free number, even the landline number at Rasta Peth, namely 26052431, proved to be wrong number. Besides, several calls made by MiD DAY, between 3 pm to 7 pm, to the landline number of the Pune Zone office 26134408 also remained unanswered.

Ashok Kamble (49) from Kothrud said the electricity in his house suddenly went off around 12.30 pm and calling the toll-free number proved futile. "I made several calls till 1 pm but in vain," said Kamble. Sandeep Raskar (45) from Sinhagad Road lambasted the MSEDCL saying the firm should have at least intimated the people before hand that only BSNL users can access the numbers. "The press releases issued by them should be complete and not come as a shocker later," he said.

On Sunday, about 800 complaints were received from areas like Anand Nagar, Fatima Nagar and Mundhwa most of which were individual complaints. The Gultekadi area saw an outage for 15 minutes because of an interruption in the Parvati sub-station of theu00a0 Maharashtra State Electricity Transmission Company Limited.