Gurgaon faced widespread electricity and water outages on October 22 as a three-day strike by around 40,000 Haryana electricity department employees disrupted power distribution across the state. Nearly 1,800 manufacturing units reported disruptions, while residents protested on roads over prolonged outages and unanswered complaints.
The strike began on Wednesday night after the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) granted Eleven Power Private Limited a 25-year licence to distribute electricity in Gurgaon and Nuh alongside existing state-owned distribution companies.
In Gurgaon, which has approximately 8.5 lakh electricity consumers, Old Gurgaon was among the worst-affected areas. Residents in several localities reported outages lasting more than 16 hours. In Sector 9A, around 6,000 families lost electricity early Thursday, disrupting water supply because the local boosting station also depended on power. In Hari Nagar, more than 7,000 families faced similar difficulties.
With inverters running out of charge and water supplies dwindling, residents complained that electricity officials and helplines were failing to provide timely assistance. Protests also broke out near Gurgaon railway station and in parts of Faridabad.
The disruption extended to industrial areas, including Sector 37, Kadipur and Basai. Textile manufacturers, export houses, auto component suppliers and other businesses reported halted machinery and delayed production. Industry representatives warned that prolonged outages could cause losses worth crores of rupees.
Diesel generators offered limited relief, as prolonged operation required cooling breaks. Restrictions under the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP), introduced to address air pollution in the National Capital Region, further complicated the use of backup generators.
The employee unions said the strike was intended to protect public electricity infrastructure, jobs and consumer interests. They argued that parallel distribution licences could weaken state-owned utilities and affect affordable electricity supply.
The Haryana government, however, said it would challenge HERC’s decision before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini appealed to employees to return to work, while Energy Minister Anil Vij called the strike unnecessary.
The unions have demanded withdrawal of the licence and a policy ruling out parallel distribution licences across Haryana. They warned that the agitation could be extended if their demands remained unmet.
Source: The Times of India
