Power cuts haunt industrial units in Bengaluru as infra yet to catch up

Karnataka has been one of the few Indian states to produce surplus power to meet its requirements this year, unlike several other states which are experiencing power supply issues due to the shortfall in the supply of coal. Ironically, this windfall is yet to benefit the crucial sector of small, medium, and large industries located around Bengaluru. The city is home to several industrial estates in Peenya, Kumbalgodu, Bidadi, Machohalli, and Dabaspet. With the exception of Peenya Industrial Area, and to a large extent, Machohalli Industrial Area, power supply to others has been erratic, and is frustrating industrial owners whose production and deadlines have taken a hit.
The Industries Associations are up in arms about what they say is a lackadaisical attitude about providing adequate power supply to these areas which house thousands of small, medium, and large manufacturing units. Things came to a head in the Kumbalgodu Industrial Area on May 12, when engineers at the Assistant Executive Engineer (AEE)s office of Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (Bescom) office in Kengeri were embarrassed to see people conducting an aarthi for failure to supply continuous electricity. The government may say they have adequate power to meet the demand, but their power supply arrangement for industrial areas is terrible. We are tired of repeatedly approaching Bescom. There is an average of two to three hours of power cut in the industrial areas. In Dabaspet, it can go up to four hours, says Jacob Crasta, former President of Federation of Karnataka Chambers of Commerce and Industries (FKCCI).
It is only the Peenya Industrial Area, the oldest and the largest industrial area with around 5,000 industries that has been spared from power cuts. On the other hand, further down from Peenya, on National Highway-48, is the Dabaspet Industrial Area, home to around 600-700 small, medium, and large industry units. Power cuts here range from two to four in a day. We have no indication about when power cuts might happen, so we are not able to schedule our work around it. We are suffering extensive losses because of this, added Crasta. Many of the units in Dabaspet are additional manufacturing units of companies which are located in the Peenya Industrial Area.