The festive spirit of the Bengali New Year in Kalyanpur was dampened after a brief spell of rain and mild winds late Wednesday night caused a major power outage, leaving the area without electricity for over 12 hours. The disruption began around 11 PM and continued well into Thursday afternoon, severely affecting daily life.
Residents and business owners expressed frustration, noting that even minor weather disturbances repeatedly cripple the town’s fragile electricity infrastructure. Many said such outages have become a recurring problem, especially during the monsoon season.
According to reports, the electricity department is grappling with an acute manpower shortage. Only six staff members are currently tasked with maintaining the entire distribution network in the region. Senior manager Manindra Debbarma stated that while the 33 KV feeder line from Gamaibari in Teliamura to Kalyanpur was restored, the five key 11 KV feeders—Ampura, West Ghilatali, Kamalnagar, Kalyanpur, and Hospital—remained non-functional for several hours.
He explained that falling trees, bamboo, and branches during the rainstorm caused extensive damage, snapping conductors at multiple locations. “Carrying out repairs of this scale with such limited manpower is extremely challenging,” Debbarma said.
The situation has been further complicated by contractor agencies refusing to undertake repair work due to pending payments. As a result, the electricity corporation has been left to manage the crisis on its own, stretching already limited resources.
The prolonged blackout disrupted water supply, healthcare services, and routine activities, while local businesses reported financial losses. Angry residents have demanded immediate restoration of power and long-term upgrades to the infrastructure. Many warned that without urgent intervention, Kalyanpur will continue to face severe outages even during minor weather changes.
