Power crisis in Kalyanpur deepens as contractors halt repair work over unpaid dues, worsening outages amid heavy rain damage. Government intervention resumes work, but residents fear recurring disruptions due to fragile infrastructure and delayed payments.
Persistent outages and mounting frustration have gripped residents of Kalyanpur after maintenance work on damaged power infrastructure was abruptly halted by contractors over long-pending payments. The disruption, which affected multiple neighborhoods, exposed deeper administrative and financial challenges within the state’s electricity distribution system.
According to local sources, several contractors engaged by the state-run power utility suspended repair and maintenance operations after dues amounting to several lakhs of rupees remained unpaid for an extended period. The standoff led to a significant delay in restoring damaged lines, leaving many households and businesses without electricity for prolonged hours.
The crisis intensified following continuous rainfall in recent days, which caused widespread damage to power lines across Kalyanpur. Uprooted trees, waterlogging, and weakened transmission infrastructure compounded the problem, making restoration efforts more urgent yet increasingly difficult. In many areas, entire localities remained in darkness as repair teams failed to respond due to the ongoing dispute.
Contractors maintained that the decision to suspend work was unavoidable. One contractor associated with the department stated that repeated appeals for payment had gone unanswered, forcing them to halt operations. “We had no option but to stop work as dues had accumulated over a long period,” he said, highlighting the financial strain faced by contractors.
The issue is not isolated to Kalyanpur alone. Similar complaints have emerged from other parts of the state, indicating a broader systemic problem within the power sector. Delays in payments, coupled with rising operational costs, have strained relationships between contractors and the electricity department.
Relief came after senior officials intervened to resolve the impasse. Contractor Shambhu Kishore Roy confirmed that the Managing Director of the department and the concerned minister stepped in to address the issue. They reportedly assured contractors that all pending dues would be cleared within ten days. Following this assurance, maintenance work resumed on Thursday, bringing some hope of restoration.
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However, concerns remain among residents, who fear recurring outages if structural issues are not addressed. Many have called for a more sustainable solution, including timely payments to contractors and improved infrastructure resilience, particularly during adverse weather conditions.
The recent disruption has once again highlighted the fragile nature of the region’s power supply system, raising questions about accountability and long-term planning.
