20-year-old power lines and rickety poles in SIDCUL: low voltage and frequent faults cause hours-long outages, industries complain of damaged machines and lost production

The run-down power system in SIDCUL, the state's largest industrial area, has become a problem for industries. According to Amar Ujala, SIDCUL runs on 20-year-old lines and dilapidated poles and faults keep occurring, directly hitting companies' production; cases of faults have risen further in the festive season. Entrepreneurs say supply still comes through the lines laid when SIDCUL was set up. The lines have not been replaced and the poles have not been repaired, even though the number of companies grows every year. Wires hang loose in many places and rust has weakened the poles. Even light wind or rain causes faults and power stays off for hours, damaging expensive machines and causing production losses. (Source: Amar Ujala)