The report published in The Telegraph on June 13, 2011

Patna, July 13: The residents of the upscale Mahatma Gandhi Nagar in Kankerbagh slept in peace last night after 12 days, as Patna Electricity Supply Undertaking (Pesu) replaced the burnt transformer of the area. Residents said the transformer was replaced at 9pm.

Binit Ranjan, a resident of the area, said: “We were able to sleep in peace after 12 days, as there was no power problem. We are really happy about this. We are also happy that The Telegraph highlighted the issue and forced the Pesu officials to address our problem.”

The Telegraph, in its July 12, 2011, edition, had reported on the plight of the residents of the area, who had been forced to live without power for 10 days after the transformer in their area got burnt. In its July 13, 2011, edition, The Telegraph reported on how the replaced transformer in the area burnt within hours.

Pesu officials claimed that the transformers tripped because of unplanned construction of apartments. It was the cause of the frequent power problems in other parts of the city as well.

A senior Pesu official said: “We have provided the residents with a new transformer for the time-being. However, it takes time before we find permanent solution. We, too, are trying to find out the problem and arrive at the best possible solution.”

He added: “A large number of apartments have come up unplanned in various parts of the city. Though the number of tenements has increased, the power supply to the area remains the same. These residences have come up in an unplanned way but the residents expect that the electric supply would be regular. How is that possible? The authorities are aware of the problem. I don’t know when everything will fall into place.”

The residents of the area were naturally happy after the power was restored. Shweta Singh, a homemaker, said: “Last night, we got sound sleep, after the power was restored. We woke up fresh in the morning. I will be able to send my child to school after days. I will be able to wash the bundle of dirty clothes, which have remained as is for the past 11 days.”

Students and professionals, too, were happy

Bipul Kumar, a bank employee, said: “I am happy to get back to work. It was difficult to concentrate for the whole day in office after a sleepless night. Thankfully, the Pesu officials finally understood our problem and replaced the transformer.”