Residents of Purnia are bracing for a long stretch without electricity this Friday, right in the middle of a brutal heatwave. On Friday, June 26, power supply in several parts of the city will be shut off completely for around 8 to 9 hours. The cut is being made on security grounds because of the Muharram procession. According to Rohit Kaushik, the SDO for Purnia's urban area, all the relevant feeders will stay switched off during the procession and power will be restored as soon as the scheduled window ends.
On one hand, the scorching heat has already left people struggling, and a power outage this long could make things even harder. On the other, Muharram is a major occasion for the Muslim community and will be observed on June 26. It is on this same day that electricity will be disrupted in many areas for roughly 9 hours.
Why the Power Is Being Cut
During Muharram, members of the Muslim community take out processions and carry tazias through the streets. In an effort to outdo one another, people often build very tall tazias. With electricity poles and exposed wires lining the roads, accidents have happened several times in the past. The towering tazias brush against the overhead power lines, and in the crush of the crowd that can trigger a serious accident or a stampede. Switching off the power is a precaution to avoid exactly that danger.
When the Supply Will Be Off
SDO Rohit Kaushik said that on Friday, June 26, in view of the Muharram procession and for safety reasons, several feeders will remain on shutdown as required from around 5 pm to 2 am. These include Town 4 and Town 3 from the Madhubani PSS; Town 3, Town 1, the Durgabari feeder and Town 2 from the Grid PSS; and the Shiv Mandir feeder and the Line Bazaar feeder from the Line Bazaar PSS. He made it clear that supply would be restored the moment the scheduled time was over.
Areas That Will Be Affected
Because of the procession, power consumers across many parts of Purnia will face the outage. The affected localities include Ramnagar, Subhash Nagar, Madhubani, Polytechnic Chowk, Kali Flour Mill, Durgabari, Rajni Chowk, Urdu School, Bhatta Bazar, Jama Masjid, Shiv Mandir Road, Line Bazaar R N Sah Chowk, Zila School Road and the feeders connected to them.
Get These Essential Tasks Done Today
The electricity department has urged consumers to make their own arrangements in advance and finish any power-dependent chores in good time. From charging phones, laptops and Bluetooth speakers to ironing clothes and filling water tanks, it is best to wrap up such tasks before the cut begins.
