WFH blues, Courtesy Bescom

With the Omicron threat looming large, professionals and students have once again hunkered back to working from home and online classes. However the ongoing infrastructure works by Bescom often disrupts their work and learning schedules, as many parts of the city are facing long-drawn power outages on a frequent basis. On any given day large swathes of the city remain without power for 7-8 hours. While infrastructure upgrades are essential, the residents complain the authorities could have planned it better, reports Hameed Ashraf-

While ‘namma Bengaluru’ is getting used to the new norms of working from home (WFH) and online education, frequent power cuts have been disrupting schedules of students and professionals. The scare caused by the Omicron variant has forced companies to rethink their ‘back to office’ plans and hybrid models, and most employees, especially the non-essential staff, are back to a continuous WFH mode. They have been told that the management will take a call when positive cases dip.

Even the schools have switched to online mode to ensure students’ safety and their learning process continuity is not affected.

Areas such as Jayanagar, HSR Layout and Koramangala from South division faced long power outages on Sunday. Similarly, Indiranagar from East, Jalahalli and Peenya from North faced power cuts. The West division was the worst affected with Rajajinagar, SG Kavalu, Telecom Layout, Kamakshipalya, Sunkadakatte, Vijayanagar and Chandra Layout facing multiple outages.

According to Bescom, around 146 sectors across the city were affected on Sunday alone citing LT cable stringing, RMU repair and maintenance, energising of underground cable work and dismantling works.

Professionals working from home have alleged that their problems are further compounded by expensive power backup solutions, which cost them Rs 17 per unit, more than double the cost of Rs 8 per unit for the government supply. Bescom’s inconsistency is also derailing the schedule of students and adults as most meetings, classes and exams are slotted during the first half of the day, they said.

Bescom has already notified the power outages in the city with the beginning of 2022, but still at the current situation, residents are finding it difficult to manage the assignments from home amid long and uncertain power cuts.

Sathyen Kamath, a resident of Rajajinagar and an IT professional said, “We have been facing this issue since last week. Power goes off anytime causing inconvenience to the employees and students in completing their tasks and classes or attending meetings,” he told News Trail.

It’s not just students alone who are finding it difficult; even teachers in the locality are battling the same issue. Mythri, a teacher who resides in Kamakshipalya, said, “I’m finding it very difficult to manage online classes with these power cuts. Every time we call Bescom, we are told some maintenance work is being carried out and the power will be back in sometime.”

In some sectors residents claim that the power goes out at 10 am and comes back only by 7 pm. The UPS back-up doesn’t last that long in such cases,” a resident from RR Nagar said. The residents say that the Bescom could have planned the maintenance work in a better way without causing inconvenience to the people during the pandemic.

Mythri added: “I know that they are working on installing cables underground, but they should understand that since most citizens are working and studying from home, such long power cuts are not feasible. Moreover, how can work go on for months?”

Residents have been flooding Bescom helpline (1912) with calls. “All the calls are answered, and helpline staffers are very polite and courteous, but it doesn’t bring us any relief,” another resident said.

Temporary disruption:

Bescom Bescom officials assure that once the underground network is in place, power cuts will be minimal. Bescom Assistant Engineer (Avalahalli), S Prashanth, said, “We have taken up work to change the old network and install a new underground network. Work is happening in phases. We assure residents that once this new network is in place, they will not face any such difficulties. They might still have power cuts for the next two weeks, after the installation, things should function smoothly.”

According to Bescom officials, the laying of underground lines is still underway and once it is completed, power cuts will be very minimal.

They too are facing problems with a section of employees affected by Covid, a Bescom official said.