Pune: Five housing societies and seven individual consumers in Baner and Balewadi on Tuesday approached the Consumer Grievance Redressal Forum (CGRF), alleging that the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Ltd (MSEDCL) had failed to respond to their written power complaints.Residents in the two areas have reported prolonged power outages, frequent interruptions and voltage fluctuations over the past few months. While some societies experienced power cuts lasting over eight hours on certain days in May, others have been facing recurring disruptions since April.In their application to the CGRF, the complainants have sought directions to MSEDCL to investigate the issue and place on record details of each interruption, including its cause, duration and the time taken to restore power supply. “The aim is to bring recurring issues like prolonged outages, frequent interruptions and voltage fluctuations to the notice of the authorities so that corrective measures can be taken,” said Baner resident Swapna Narayan.The complainants have also demanded improvement in services and compensation, although no specific amount has been mentioned. “Overhead wires running across an open ground often sag due to poor maintenance, leading to damage and frequent disruptions,” a Baner society resident said, adding that the frequency and duration of power cuts had, however, reduced in recent weeks.Another resident, Girish Galgali, said distribution companies were required to adhere to reliability standards and guidelines for addressing power failures. “If outages exceed specified limits, consumers are entitled to compensation. In some cases, it is provided automatically, while in others, consumers must file a claim,” he said.The CGRF, established under the Electricity Act, 2003, provides a statutory forum for electricity consumers to seek redressal when grievances remain unresolved despite following the prescribed complaint process. Applications can be filed either online or in person, provided consumers have registered contact details.
