Undercover Crackdown: BEST Exposes Major Power Theft Under Dadar Bridge.

People from all socioeconomic classes live in every city. When it comes to stealing electricity, everyone is equally guilty. The widespread practice of power theft in the city’s colonies is nothing new. However, India’s utilities made little effort to bring to light these thefts. There have only been one or two occasional efforts. In these colonies, the usage of electricity is exceedingly risky and frequently causes mishaps. In Delhi’s many colonies, one-room homes and shacks next to railway lines, electricity theft is a routine occurrence. Power theft has not decreased despite power losses in Indian power providers that were privatised in an attempt to curb power theft. Power theft is frequently supported by vote bank politics in the colonies. To track down power theft in Delhi, the CISF had to deploy. Such power theft is unmanageable and difficult, in Kolkata where there is a CESC power supply.

In the vicinity of Dadar Railway Station West, the Brihanmumbai Electricity Supply and Transport Undertaking (BEST) eliminated many illicit power connections on Thursday. Following a tip, Police, BMC officials, and BEST vigilance engineers carried out a coordinated operation to break up these unlawful connections. Lots of commuters use local trains every day in Dadar West, a busy location where hawkers are plentiful around the station. Unauthorised hawkers selling food, clothing, veggies, and other goods clog the area outside Dadar station. Since no one had ever ventured to inspect these premises, the shopkeepers were certain that such illicit usage would never be detected. Their connections to the local politicians fostered this notion.

These vendors have been using the BEST electrical supply boxes under the bridge and street poles to obtain electricity. They operate the shops under the bridge illegally, apparently by stealing energy and avoiding appropriate safety precautions. For years, street vendors have been unlawfully using power without taking the necessary precautions and paying electricity charges. It powers the shops beneath the bridge. Vigilance investigators responded to reports of energy theft beneath the overpass close to Dadar Railway Station, according to BEST. In concert with the BMC and the police, they carried out an operation to eliminate any unlawful connections. Electrical risks are a possibility in this location due to the high volume of commuter traffic. The police are determining the scope of energy theft and the number of connections implicated, even though no cases have been recorded thus far.

Following the conclusion of the probe, BMC stated that, working with BEST and the police, all hawkers had been removed from the area. FIRs will be filed. After the operation was over, unlicensed hawkers did, however, return to their locations. This indicates that the local government has to identify alternative means of revenue for street vendors since their lives have been influenced by power theft and unauthorised use of electricity. The action initiated by BEST is a wake-up call for Indian power utilities.