Load shedding adds sting to summer heat

Long hours of load shedding over the past week, thanks to laying of new electric poles and new lines in certain parts of the town, have added to the woes of Nizamabad residents as day temperatures continue to soar.

New poles are being erected in the place of old ones due to road widening along almost 10 roads resulting in stoppage of power supply from as early as 9 a.m. to almost 7 p.m. The worst-hit areas are Subashnagar, Mayor Road, Telangana talli statue to Dubba road and around Nirmal Hruday School.

“Ten roads are being widened where supply is affected under the first phase. The work is likely to continue for a few more days. It is risky even for us because there would be accidents when new lines are being drawn. We will reduce the duration of power cuts henceforth,” said C. Prabhakar, Superintending Engineer (Operations), TS Transco.

Residents are in a quandary — they are unable to bear the suffocation with locked doors and windows to shut out the heat, but at the same time, they fear stepping out in the sweltering weather.

“Food items in the refrigerator are getting spoilt and inverters are running out within just a couple of hours. Instead of cutting off supply for long hours at a stretch, they can do it in a phased manner, even if the work takes a few extra days,” says Mohammed Afsar Rana, a retired railway officer.

For students preparing for SSC examinations, load shedding couldn’t have come at a worse time. Absence of power and interruption in the supply are also affecting conduct of exam at SSC centres, says Subashnagar resident N. Sujatha, mother of a class 10 student.

However, there was full day power supply on Monday in view of Srirama Navami. In the latest development, the authorities, on public request, have agreed to reduce the duration of load shedding.