India Power Corporation (Bodhgaya) Limited (IPCL) has claimed to have made elaborate arrangements for round-the-clock power supply during the 17-day-long Pitripaksh Mela from September 27.

During the Pitripaksh period, a large number of devotees from across the country and abroad are expected to visit Gaya and offer pinddaan rituals for salvation of their ancestors' souls. Apart from some devotees, who stay in hotels and guesthouses, others put up in the houses of pandas (priests) or in school buildings that the district administration acquires to make arrangement for accommodation.

IPCL assistant general manager (AGM) Rakesh Ranjan said on Thursday: "IPCL would open two control rooms - near the Punjabi dharamshala and at Gandhi Maidan - under which 12 centres in the mela area. A lineman and a helper would man each such centre. They would rectify any fault in supply. If any transformer gets burnt, we would replace it within 45 minutes. For this, two vehicles loaded with power transformers of 200MVA and 100MVA each would be ready round-the-clock."

Moreover, there are 14 transformers in reserve to meet exigencies. Three groups of technicians would be ready round-the-clock. Two groups would work in shifts - 7am to 7pm and 7pm to 7am. A special team would work from 10am to 10pm. Apart from two control rooms, there would be two branch control rooms at Pitamaheshwar and Ramshila, respectively, to monitor the power supply. At present, IPCL gets 70MW power, which would be increased to 75MW during the Pitripaksh period.

"Power is supplied to the Dandibagh feeder from Chandauti grid. In case, some fault occurs in the Chandauti grid, we have special arrangements to ensure 33KVA supply to Dandibagh directly from the Bodhgaya grid," Ranjan said.

Over complaints of frequent power cuts in places where the IPCL supplies electricity, the AGM said: "The recovery in terms of power bill payment is very low compared to the supply."

Citing examples of Magadh University and the Mocharim feeders under Magadh University sub-station, the AGM said the loss was 96 per cent at both. At present, the company's overall loss is around 65 per cent of the supply, made owing to theft and outstanding power bills.