Power cuts hit tourism, cause anger in Mahabaleshwar

Kolhapur: The issue of erratic power supply and the alleged problem of inflated electricity bills following installation of smart meters have become a matter of grave concern for traders and residents of the hill station of Mahabaleshwar, which is witnessing peak tourism season.Complaints regarding frequent power outages have surged with the commencement of tourist season. The interruptions are inflicting a severe financial blow to hotels, lodges, restaurants and small- and large-scale business owners. This, in turn, constraints services. There is intense resentment among citizens and the trader community.Member of the Mahabaleshwar Hotel Association Sachin Wagdare said, "Frequent power cuts of 15 to 30 minutes at least three to four times a day have been happening since the last several days. I have raised several complaints, but MSEDCL officials only say there is overload on power lines or that the distribution transformer has a short circuit. I run a small food set-up along with a hotel with rooms. Power cuts, especially in the evenings, are inconvenient."Wagdare said that additionally, since the time the smart meter was installed, his electricity bill had surged to around Rs24,000 a month from between Rs11,000 and Rs15,000. "Other hotel owners who had their meters changed have also complained about the same. We will soon carry out a protest against MSEDCL," he added.Residents are demanding maintenance of seamless, uninterrupted power supply, transparent audits of inflated bills and immediate action on consumer complaints.Smart meters have been installed across the tehsil and consumers are complaining of an uncontrolled surge in electricity bills — even for vacant homes or where consumption is minimal.A commercial shop owner of Mahabaleshwar market, Akshay Kale, said, "Two weeks ago, there was no electricity for over six hours. There were disruptions in supply over the last two days too. The moment clouds gather and there is a hint of rain, supply is disrupted."TOI tried to reach MSEDCL officials in Mahabaleshwar, but calls went unanswered till the time of going to press.