LUCKNOW, May 24 -- As the state capital grapples with prolonged power cuts, overloaded feeders and repeated instances of 'tripping' amid an unforgiving heatwave, the crisis is testing not only the city's electricity infrastructure but also pushing the power department's field machinery to its physical and emotional limits.

Across substations, control rooms and repair sites, engineers, sub-divisional officers (SDOs) and linesmen say they have been working almost round-the-clock for days, often without proper meals, rest or time with their families, as complaints continue to pour in from across the state capital.

Chief engineer Ram Kumar, posted in Amausi, says he has been working between 16 and 18 hours daily for nearly a week. On Saturd...