“Powerless in Pune”: Bhugaon Residents Hit Boiling Point Over MSEDCL’s Failures

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Bhugaon, 19th June 2025: The green hills of Bhugaon, once known as a serene retreat on the outskirts of Pune, have turned into a hotbed of frustration and fury. Residents of this rapidly growing suburb are battling not just summer heat and monsoon rains—but a full-blown electricity crisis that’s left them quite literally in the dark.

For days now, Bhugaon has been grappling with erratic power supply, repeated outages, and voltage fluctuations that have disrupted daily life and put thousands on edge. What was initially sparked by torrential rains has turned into a much deeper issue—one that residents say stems from chronic neglect and infrastructural apathy by the Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Company Limited (MSEDCL).

Viral Outcry, Political Silence
The tipping point came on June 17 when Vipin Khandelwal, a resident, took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) in a searing post:
“SHAME ON MSEDCL! Our backup systems are drained, and residents—kids, elderly, and working families—are suffering.”
Khandelwal’s tweet tagged top political leaders including Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde. The post exploded online, with hundreds of others sharing similar experiences—of inverter batteries dying, generators running dry, and a growing sense of helplessness.

“Even though we pay our electricity bills on time, all we get in return is damaged appliances and sleepless nights,” said Nitin Gholkar, who highlighted how voltage surges have destroyed elevators and home electronics.

Broken Lines and Broken Promises
According to MSEDCL, the outage began around 2 PM on June 15 when a portion of the MSRDC’s under-construction bridge at Pirangut was washed away by heavy rainfall, damaging the 22 kV SkyI power line in four places. The disruption impacted approximately 20,000 consumers in Bhugaon, Pirangut, and nearby areas.

Though the utility provider claimed that their staff worked tirelessly through the night and restored supply in stages—first partially by Monday morning, then fully by 3 PM—the ground reality paints a different picture.

“Every day since then, there’s been 3 to 4 hours of power cut,” said resident Abinash Jena. “And complaints raised via MSEDCL’s app are auto-closed within 30 minutes with no action.” Vandana Vallam added, “It’s a system failure—they act like they’re solving the problem, but it’s all eyewash.”

A Growing Suburb with Crumbling Infrastructure
Bhugaon’s population has swelled in recent years, thanks to a surge in new housing projects. But while its skyline has grown, the power infrastructure hasn’t. Residents describe it as “primitive,” woefully unequipped to handle the demand.

“The MSEDCL substation at Bhare is inefficient, and the load has long outgrown its capacity,” said Ambarish Kulkarni. Many have directed their appeals to elected representatives, with little to no response. “@Dev_Fadnavis ji, we badly need your help,” wrote resident Saurabh, summing up the collective sentiment of a neighbourhood losing patience.

Not Just Bhugaon
The issue isn’t isolated. Residents from Ravet and other parts of Pune’s outskirts have shared similar complaints—highlighting what appears to be a systemic crisis across the city’s suburban belt.

“There’s a bigger story here,” said Parag Bhangale from Ravet. “This isn’t about rain damage—it’s about a fragile grid and bureaucratic indifference.”

Hope or Hollow Assurances?
While MSEDCL has promised corrective action and improved response mechanisms, few in Bhugaon are buying it. After all, they say, these are the same promises they’ve heard before—each time followed by silence, delays, and another blackout.

“We need a permanent fix, not a patchwork,” said Khandelwal. “We are not asking for privileges—just basic, uninterrupted power. Is that too much to expect in 2025?”

As monsoon intensifies and civic systems face additional stress, Bhugaon residents are left wondering: will this finally be the wake-up call for authorities, or just another blackout in the making?