KTR criticises Govt for burdening Hyderabad residents with transformer costs

Rama Rao said the government was shifting its responsibilities onto citizens due to its inability to manage power supply efficiently. "The responsibility to install new transformers and upgrade the power supply system lies entirely with the government, not the citizens," he said.

Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao condemned the Congress government’s decision to impose an additional financial burden on apartment residents by asking them to bear the cost of installing transformers to manage increasing power load in Hyderabad. The Telangana State Southern Power Distribution Company Limited (TGSPDCL) recently directed apartment complexes with power consumption exceeding 20 kW to set up their transformers at their own expense.

Dubbing the decision as another “Tughlaq move” by the Revanth Reddy government, Rama Rao said the government was shifting its responsibilities onto citizens due to its inability to manage power supply efficiently. “The responsibility to install new transformers and upgrade the power supply system lies entirely with the government, not the citizens,” he said.

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He said installing a transformer costs around Rs 3 lakh and if implemented, this decision would cost around Rs.300 crore for city dwellers. On average, each household could face an added financial burden of Rs.30,000 to Rs.50,000 for transformer installation.

The BRS working president pointed out the irony of the Congress government, which promised free electricity up to 200 units, but was now draining citizens’ pockets. “People are already paying electricity bills based on their usage. The government must enhance infrastructure to meet growing demand instead of transferring this burden onto the public,” he remarked.

Rama Rao questioned the rationale behind the decision, stating that it exposed the Congress government’s inefficiency and lack of planning. Considering the government’s logic to penalise people for installation of transformers, he wondered whether the government would also ask people to install their own pipelines and roads if usage increased.

“This exposes the government’s inefficiency and lack of planning. Instead of upgrading power infrastructure, the government is punishing citizens for its own mismanagement,” he said. He also criticised the government for approving construction projects without ensuring adequate power infrastructure. “Rather than targeting middle-class families, hold builders and officials accountable for these lapses,” he demanded.

Rama Rao wanted the Congress government to immediately withdraw this “anti-people” policy and bear the full cost of installing transformers wherever required. He warned of strong protests and pledged to join residents in their fight if the decision is not reversed. “If the government does not reverse this decision, I will join the affected citizens in their fight,” he declared.

The BRS leader also pointed out the growing unrest over unannounced power cuts, lambasting the government for ignoring citizens’ woes while imposing unjust policies. He appealed to the Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister, who oversee the Municipal Administration and Energy departments respectively, to take responsibility and rectify the situation. “Governments exist to serve the people, not to impose unfair burden on them,” he added.