India, May 19 -- In what could constitute a minor crisis, 2,500-plus unresolved complaints regarding cable faults and other technical issues have remained unaddressed by the BEST Undertaking for months. In South Mumbai, covering Wards A, B, C, D and E, which has only one fuse control room to address 3,50,000 consumers, the situation is graver, especially in the congested locations of Kalbadevi, Zaveri Bazaar, Masjid, Bhendi Bazaar and Bhuleshwar where the cables are old.

The ageing 80-year-old power cable network, rising power demand, unprecedented summer heat and rapid real-estate expansion has begun to take a toll on the city. The combination of these factors has been causing frequent power outages, moreover outages in localities where...