Frustrated by a week of darkness and administrative apathy, the residents of a major residential pocket in Faridabad transformed their anger into a public demonstration today, paralyzing traffic on a vital city artery.
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The Breaking Point: The protest began around 8:30 AM when residents, tired of a sleepless night due to an 8-hour outage, moved to the main road with chairs and banners. “It’s not just about the heat; our water supply is hit, students cannot study, and the elderly are suffering. We pay our bills on time, so why the discrimination?” fumed a local resident leader.
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The Gridlock: The 3-hour blockade affected hundreds of commuters, including school buses and office-goers heading toward the industrial sectors. Traffic was diverted through narrow internal colony lanes, which quickly became congested, creating a “secondary jam” across the neighborhood.
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DHBVN’s Stance:
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Technical Issues: Officials from DHBVN claimed that the cuts were due to an overloaded transformer and “maintenance work” required for the upcoming winter season.
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Load Management: They noted that the power demand in the colony had spiked recently, causing the local substation to trip frequently.
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The Resolution: Police personnel from the local station initially tried to persuade the crowd to move, but the protesters demanded a senior DHBVN engineer’s presence. By 11:30 AM, an Executive Engineer arrived and promised the installation of a new high-capacity transformer within 48 hours.
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The “Festive” Pressure: With Karwa Chauth and Diwali approaching, residents warned that they would “gherao” (encircle) the main substation if the promises were not kept. “We won’t celebrate the festival of lights in the dark,” said another protester.
Wider Context: Faridabad has been witnessing a surge in localized protests as the city’s power infrastructure struggles to keep pace with rapid urban expansion. Similar protests were reported from the NIT and Ballabhgarh areas earlier this month, signaling a widespread dissatisfaction with the current state of electricity distribution.
