Tenants in Bengaluru say frequent power outages during rains continue to disrupt daily life, even in premium areas like HSR Layout and JP Nagar, raising concerns over infrastructure reliability. Despite paying high rents, residents report recurring electricity disruptions during adverse weather, prompting many to opt for pricier gated communities that offer power backup and more reliable services.
For many tenants, the issue is not just inconvenience but also added costs and uncertainty. Ananya Chowdhury, who lives in Kumaraswamy Layout and pays a rent of ₹25,000 for a 1 BHK, said power cuts are routine during rainfall. “Paying high rent close to prime areas is sometimes challenging. Buildings may have generators, but they are often not extended to tenants. When power goes out, devices like gaming consoles can get damaged, so we end up investing in inverters,” she said, pointing out that such issues are unexpected in a city like Bengaluru.
Another tenant in JP Nagar narrated similar concerns, noting that outages persist despite paying ₹21,500 in rent, excluding utilities. “Area-wise, there shouldn’t be so many power cuts,” she said.
Tenants say power backup has become a key deciding factor, particularly in premium segments where expectations for uninterrupted service are high. While standalone buildings often lack reliable backup power, gated communities with full backup power are gaining traction despite higher rents. Tenants say the additional cost is often justified by uninterrupted electricity, especially for those working from home or relying on electronic devices.
Rain-triggered outages are common across Bengaluru
Social media posts suggest that these disruptions are widespread and often linked to rainfall. Several residents said outages occur immediately after rain begins, sometimes lasting for hours. In some areas, power gets restored within 1–2 hours, while in others, residents report repeated disruptions, especially in localities such as Electronic City.
“Yesterday evening, as soon as it started raining, my area had a power cut for nearly two hours. The same thing happened again this morning,” one user posted on Reddit dated March 19, while another noted that such outages are often linked to temporary repair work following transformer issues during rain.
“Happened in our locality too, but was restored in about 1.5 hours. It appeared to be a side effect of the patchwork restoration done last night after multiple transformer fuses blew following the rains. Happens often when it rains,” one of the Redditors said.
Residents also pointed to infrastructure vulnerabilities, with falling tree branches and damaged lines frequently cited as triggers.
Infrastructure gaps and ageing systems
Officials from the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) said outages during rainfall occur when rainfall damages infrastructure. “When it rains, power is not disconnected from the station. It usually trips because trees fall on lines or electrical structures. We restore supply as soon as debris is cleared,” an official said.
They said that while high-tension (HT) lines are largely underground, low-tension (LT) lines remain overhead and are more prone to disruption during rain and wind. Efforts are underway to replace these with insulated, weather-resistant aerial bunched cables (ABC).
Aerial Bunched Cables are insulated overhead power lines designed for safer, more reliable distribution than bare conductors, commonly used in urban areas and narrow lanes. They are specifically designed to be weather-resistant, providing superior protection against rain, heavy storms, and moisture compared to traditional bare conductor overhead lines.
