Patna — A massive power outage has thrown nearly half of Bihar’s capital into darkness, sparking widespread distress among residents. From late Wednesday night, large parts of Patna have been grappling with electricity disruption, following a major technical snag in the city’s power infrastructure.
According to an official statement by the Bihar State Power Holding Company Limited (BSPHCL), the crisis began around 10:30 PM on June 11, when a technical failure crippled the 132/33 KV Karbigahiya and Mithapur power grids, knocking out 13 major feeders that supply electricity to the heart of the city.
The blackout has impacted several densely populated areas including Thakurbari, Dhamchak, Raja Bazaar, Jaitupura, Yarpur, Kargil Chowk, Kankarbagh, Bypass, Rajendra Nagar, Anwarpur, and Kadamkuan, leaving thousands of residents without power through the sweltering summer night.
With temperatures soaring to almost 40°C, the outage has triggered chaos and discomfort, especially among the elderly, children, and patients. Localities reported water supply disruptions, stalled elevators, and more, compounding the inconvenience for citizens already grappling with the heat.
Emergency technical teams have been deployed under the Emergency Restoration System (ERS) to fast-track repairs. BSPHCL has stated that power restoration is expected by 2 PM today, assuring that affected consumers are being notified via SMS alerts.
Despite the assurance, the outage has sparked public frustration, with many taking to social media to vent their anger and demand accountability.
As Bihar's capital continues to reel under the sudden blackout, this incident underscores the urgent need for resilient power infrastructure in rapidly expanding urban centers.
With the Bihar assembly elections just months away, incidents like this could become a flashpoint in the political discourse. The power crisis is already being weaponized by opposition leaders as a symbol of administrative failure — and the ruling government may soon find itself defending more than just electricity lines.
