Pune: Forum for IT Employees (FITE) has urged the state govt to upgrade and strengthen the power infrastructure in areas dotting the information technology park, following a 48-hour-long ordeal amid heavy rainfall this week.“Electricity supply was cut at 6pm on Monday. It was restored on Wednesday evening. Diesel generators operated for two days on the trot. They had to be shut down because of overuse. People had to use stairs to go to the 17th floor. Senior citizens were stuck at home because most of them can’t climb stairs,” said Manoj Ramteke, a resident of GK Aryaban society in Kiwale.The electricity supply flip-flop continued even on Wednesday night.FITE sought a long-term plan from the govt, considering the rising development in the affected areas. “The matter has been brought to the attention of minister of state for energy Meghna Sakore-Bordikar and senior officials of Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL), including CMD Lokesh Chandra, to quickly restore the power supply,” FITE secretary Prashant Pandit said.The long power disruptions caused an acute shortage of drinking water. Many shops ran out of bottled water.Many families temporarily relocated because of the power outage. MSEDCL authorities were allegedly non-responsive or gave confusing messages about when the electricity supply would be restored, residents said.Techies working from home in Ravet, Kiwale, Wakad, Pimple Saudagar and Baner faced problems on account of an over 48-hour power cut. “Most of the residents are IT employees. They could not work from home because of the power cut and had to go to office despite the govt issuing a red alert and the situation on the road being bad,” Ramteke said.Supriya Nimbalkar, another IT employee in Kasturi Homes Society in Kiwale, said local representatives and residents held a meeting with MSEDCL officials to resolve the issue. “We require a separate substation for Mamurdi, Kiwale and Vikasnagar,” she said.Residents in her society also faced water problems.The long duration power cuts in Bavdhan prompted residents of La Valle casa society to stage protest in Chandani Chowk. Close to 38 societies faced power cuts for around 12-24 hours on Monday. Although power is restored in some areas supply is unstable. Residents in some societies faced four to five hour power disruption on Wednesday.
