Power supply complaints in Chennai: TNPDCL to revive localised helpline ‘Fuse on Call’ | Chennai News
Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Power Distribution Corporation Ltd (TNPDCL) will revive its localised helpline ‘Fuse on Call’ — where consumers can register complaints about power outages or blown fuses — to speed up the redress process.Now, electricity-related complaints are handled through a dedicated central system ‘Minnagam’, where consumers can dial 9498794987 to report their grievances. Staff at the call centre forward complaints to the relevant power distribution section, which then alerts field personnel.Following complaints that power-cut grievances take too long to reach field staff, TNPDCL has decided to reintroduce the ‘Fuse on Call’ option in areas where power interruptions are frequently reported. “We have identified areas in North Chennai and suburban areas. We will initiate the helpline in those areas,” said a senior TNPDCL official. Each of these areas will have a local reporting mechanism with a dedicated phone number, and field personnel will attend to complaints immediately.T Sadagopan, a consumer activist from Pattabiram, welcomed the move. “In the city, the jurisdiction is smaller and personnel can reach the spot immediately. In suburban areas, each section office covers a vast area and personnel take time to reach the spot. This system helps. Also, the communication is one-to-one and redress is quicker. The facility should be extended to all areas,” he said.Ramarao, another civic activist from Nanganallur, said that they have created a WhatsApp group with local TNPDCL personnel to report electricity grievances, as reaching out to ‘Minnagam’ or local section office was never easy.
