Patna, May 4: Consumers have lived with frequent and long power cuts. What irks them more is being in the dark about when electric supply would be restored.

Patna Electric Supply Undertaking (Pesu) lists two control room numbers — 0612-2280024/14 — where consumers can call for enquiries. However, information is not too forthcoming.

Most of the time, the numbers are busy. And, if some officials ever answer the call, they are unable to give specific information on when power supply would be restored. Most of the time, residents are left fuming after enduring long hours of power cuts, breakdown, shutdown for maintenance work, non-availability of power from the central sector or inclement weather conditions. Many accuse Pesu of being apathetic to consumers’ plight when they feign ignorance about when power would be restored.

Kundan Kumar, a studentfrom Patel Nagar area, said: “This is what pinches consumers the most. Power cuts don’t follow a schedule. People want to know when power supply would be restored. Unfortunately, Pesu is unable to evolve a mechanism of dedicated phone numbers on which consumers can get information about restoration of supply.”

On being told about the consumers’ problems, Pesu general manager-cum-chief engineer Vijay Kumar told The Telegraph: “It is not as if consumers won’t get information on calling these numbers. There are problems because these two numbers are used for all purposes, including officers calling up power sub-stations and consumers calling to know when power would be restored.”

He suggested that the consumers could also call power sub-stations concerned for their areas or the power helpline number (1800-3456-198) for information.

An official who receives calls at the Pesu control room said: “Our job is to lodge complaints and not to let consumers know when their power supply would be restored. However, we can jot down the consumer’s mobile number and address and get back to them after speaking to the officials in the concerned areas.”