Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Rain Havoc Disrupts Power in 40 Villages

Rains that have lashed Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar city and its surrounding rural areas over the past week have wreaked havoc on the region’s power infrastructure. The persistent downpours, accompanied by strong winds and lightning, caused 635 electric poles to collapse, plunging over 40 villages into darkness.

Despite the scale of the damage, Mahavitaran (Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company) launched an immediate emergency response and managed to restore power to most affected areas within a day, working around the clock on a war footing.

Urban and Rural Infrastructure Heavily Affected

According to official data provided by Mahavitaran, the city area witnessed the collapse of 11 high-voltage and 30 low-voltage poles, along with damage to three major distribution towers. In the rural belt, the destruction was even more severe: 213 high-voltage and 381 low-voltage poles were brought down by the storm, and 21 distribution towers sustained significant damage.

With the sudden power outages, residents across the affected regions were forced to endure the night without electricity until emergency repairs could be made.

Shiur Area Bears the Brunt

The Shiur area in Vaijapur taluka experienced particularly intense rainfall on Tuesday evening, accompanied by gale-force winds. A lightning strike on the 33 KV Loni transmission line led to the damage of pin insulators at Jarul Phata, Khandala, and Kolhi, disrupting power to the Shiur, Loni, and Bhadli substations.

Several electric poles were bent under the impact of the winds and rain. Though MDCC (Maharashtra Distribution Company) immediately began rerouting electricity through alternative supply lines, many areas still report dangling wires and tilted poles, posing safety hazards, according to local residents.

As soon as weather conditions stabilized, MDCC teams commenced full-scale repair and restoration operations. Power was restored to the majority of the affected areas by 12 midnight, largely through temporary or alternate routes.

Ongoing Repairs and Public Advisory

While most of the immediate restoration has been completed, full structural repairs are ongoing. Citizens are advised to stay clear of damaged poles and wires and report any hazardous conditions to local authorities.

This incident highlights the need for climate-resilient infrastructure, especially in regions prone to increasingly unpredictable weather events.