Bhopal, the state capital of Madhya Pradesh, experienced a major power outage on the night of Friday and Saturday due to heavy rain and gusty winds. Approximately half of the city was plunged into darkness as the electricity supply was cut off. Despite claims from the power company regarding pre-monsoon maintenance work, the situation revealed a lack of preparedness.
The heavy rain and winds caused trees to uproot, blocking roads and damaging electricity cables. As a result, prolonged power cuts affected many areas, while streetlights, including those on Hoshangabad Road, were also damaged. Furthermore, waterlogging occurred due to choked drains in various parts of the city.
Residents reported that the electricity supply had been cut off since late evening, only being restored around 3 am on Saturday. Fallen trees were promptly removed in the morning to restore the power supply. However, some residents expressed their frustration with the power company, claiming that maintenance efforts throughout the year were merely formalities. The rainfall had exposed their lack of preparedness, leaving much of Bhopal in darkness.
Explaining the reasons for the power disruption, Nilesh Srivastava, Zonal Officer of Zone 13, stated that the strong winds had caused trees to fall, particularly in colonies along Hoshangabad Road. The Bhopal Municipal Corporation (BMC) teams quickly mobilized to clear the fallen trees, with one tree near Ward 54 office in Saket Nagar causing significant disruption. BMC and power company teams worked together to restore the power supply.
Zahid Khan, General Manager of the Bhopal circle at the central discom, confirmed that many areas experienced power outages due to trees being uprooted during the storm and heavy rainfall. He emphasized that it was not solely a matter of maintenance, as trees fell in different pockets of the city. Misrod, Vallabh Nagar, Bagsewaniya, and Bagmugaliya were particularly affected by fallen trees.
In conclusion, Bhopal faced a significant power outage as heavy rain and gusty winds disrupted the electricity supply. The incident highlighted the lack of preparedness on the part of the power company, despite their claims of pre-monsoon maintenance. Prompt efforts were made to remove fallen trees and restore power, with teams from the BMC and the power company working together. However, residents expressed their frustration at the company’s approach to maintenance, emphasizing that the rainfall had exposed their shortcomings.
