State plunges into darkness, trains halted

HYDERABAD: Several districts in Andhra and Rayalaseema plunged into darkness and several trains had to be cancelled Sunday after electricity employees went on an indefinite strike protesting division of the state.

Around 3,500 MW power generation was affected. 'It is a major problem and the situation is very serious,' admitted a top official of the electricity department.

Power shortage compelled the Railways to cancel about 25 passenger and six express trains on the Guntur-Vijayawada-Rajahmundry-Gudur-Nellore-Tirupati routes. Five passenger trains had to be partially cancelled.

At least, eight trains will not run Monday and two on Tuesday. Diesel locos were kept on standby on the Vijayawada-Renigunta route so that long distance trains are not affected. In Vijayawada, the authorities managed to keep the Chennai-Egmore Express on track with a diesel engine.

Sources said 770 MW power generation was affected at the Srisailam right bank canal power station. Five units of the Rayalaseema Thermal Power Project in Kadapa did not function reducing power production by 1,500 MW. In Vijayawada, the VTPS, which has an installed capacity of 1760 MW, has stopped functioning.

In Rayalaseema, three districts, Anantapur, Kurnool and Kadapa, had no power at all while Chittoor had minimum power supply. The Nannur 400 KV sub-station and 200 KV sub-station in Somayajulapalli in Kurnool district tripped.

Power supply was stopped for around 360 villages in Tamballapalle and Madanapalle divisions in Chittoor district. Guntur, Krishna, Prakasam and Vizianagaram districts were also badly hit. 'We are helpless. We cannot engage temporary staff in the power sector to make alternative arrangements,' one official pointed out.

In Prakasam, 500 villages had no power supply in Yerragondapalem division. 740 villages had no power in Naidupet and Atmakur divisions in Nellore district.

In Krishna district, Nuzvid, Mailavaram, Tiruvuru, Hanuman Junction, Gudiwada, Pamarru, Avanigadda, Machilipatnam, Gannavaram and Pedana had no power.

Electricity employees in Sileru formed a joint action committee and decided to join the strike from Monday. As a precautionary measure, police pickets were posted at Sileru and Donkarai hydel power stations. Hundreds of passengers were stranded at several railway stations.

An elderly women, who was going from Guntur to Machilipatnam, was forced to break her journey in Vijayawada. 'I have no information. Had the officials informed me at Guntur itself, I would have cancelled my journey,' she lamented.

No impact on southern grid

There will be no power problems in Southern states like Karnataka or Tamil Nadu, as Andhra Pradesh doesn't sell power to them. Officials will take precautions to see that the Southern Grid does not collapse, sources said.

Hospitals hit

Surgeries at super specialty hospitals were stopped in Tirupati. Probably for the first time, hoteliers literally drove away pilgrims and preferred to shut shop rather than run on generators.

In Tirumala, where the Brahmotsavams are going on, power supply was disrupted but TTD officials managed to persuade local electricity staff to resume supply by evening.