Seema Kamdar/Shweta Karnik
MUMBAI: Torrential rains that lashed the city for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, took their toll on essential utilities, including electricity and MTNL landlines on Tuesday. MTNL lines, which had stopped functioning in Bandra, Khar, Santacruz and Andheri and parts of south Mumbai since May 30, stopped in other areas as well. Most parts of the city also experienced severe power cuts with power companies maintaining it was necessary to prevent electrocution.
Stranded people were unable to keep in touch. “After the landlines gave way, mobile phones were the only way to keep in touch. Power cuts only compounded the problem,” complained Subhash Kamat, a Bandra resident.
“MTNL officials immediately disconnect lines if the customers default on bill payments. But they get away with delays themselves,” a Santa Cruz resident said. MS Rana, executive director, MTNL, admitted, “It is true that MTNL takes long to redress consumer complaints. But there are delays because we cannot undertake telephone wire repairs without permission from BMC and MMRDA.”
Reliance Energy switched off connections in many pockets of Andheri East, Santacruz, Malad West, Goregaon, Kandivali East and Borivali, as well as Kurla West in the eastern suburbs. A Reliance Energy spokesperson said this was done to prevent electrocution where rainwater had entered meter rooms, sub-stations or exposed cables. “We have switched off connections wherever residents have requested us to do so,” he insisted.
Residents from Kurla and elsewhere complained that Reliance Energy’s helpline 30303030 was not working.
