Several parts of Bengaluru are facing extended power cuts on Monday, June 30, as the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company Limited (BESCOM) carries out critical maintenance operations across the city. Following outages across central and industrial zones on Sunday, the disruptions have now extended to southern Bengaluru, affecting both residential and commercial areas.
The power interruptions, which began at 10 AM and are expected to continue until 4 PM, are part of BESCOM’s scheduled infrastructure overhaul aimed at ensuring uninterrupted future supply. Officials confirmed that over 100 neighbourhoods will see staggered or complete power disconnections through the day. Areas including Forum Mall, Prestige Falcon City Apartments, and major stretches along Kanakapura Main Road were among the first to experience outages. Educational and healthcare institutions such as Kumaran’s School and Jaraganahalli Park-adjacent areas are also impacted, raising concerns among residents and local business owners over the lack of backup infrastructure during operational hours.
In a public statement, BESCOM officials clarified that the power cuts are necessary due to urgent line and equipment maintenance, fault detection, and network strengthening work being carried out on high-tension feeders. The utility assured that the long-term benefits of the shutdowns will translate into reduced outages and improved electricity reliability. Neighbourhoods affected include Doddakallasandra, Narayana Nagar, Munireddy Layout, Supraja Nagar, Gangapathipura, JSS School Area, Shanti Sawmill, and the Sarjapur Lake stretch. Intermittent outages have also been reported from Rajiv Gandhi Road, parts of Srinidhi Layout, and Chunchaghatta Village. BESCOM’s zone-wise teams have been deployed to carry out the repairs in a time-bound manner. However, local residents argue that the frequency of such shutdowns has increased in recent months, often without prior detailed communication. Several residential welfare associations have flagged the need for more transparent scheduling and coordination with apartment maintenance bodies to prepare better for extended outages.
Sunday’s outage—which impacted a broader swathe of the city including Gandhi Nagar, Malleswaram, Race Course Road, and key commercial junctions like Vinayaka Circle and Chalukya Circle—caused considerable disruption to weekend business and civic services. Electricity cuts extended up to 5:30 PM in many pockets, including institutional corridors around KG Road, Mantri Mall, Khanija Bhavan, and the Peenya Industrial zone, paralysing manufacturing units and IT hubs briefly. Officials said Sunday’s disruption was focused on load rebalancing and capacity augmentation in the 11kV and 66kV distribution networks, particularly in ageing corridors that supply power to densely populated central Bengaluru and the expanding Peenya industrial belt. These reinforcements, BESCOM said, are key to ensuring the infrastructure can handle the rising energy demands of a rapidly urbanising Bengaluru.
Experts in urban infrastructure and sustainability point out that the ongoing disruptions highlight the fragility of Bengaluru’s energy backbone. With a high dependency on centralised grid infrastructure and limited decentralised generation, particularly in the core city, the system remains prone to stress during pre-monsoon and post-summer repair cycles. Adding to the concern is the city’s low rooftop solar adoption in many of the affected zones. “If Bengaluru is to emerge as a truly climate-resilient city, it must decentralise energy generation, prioritise battery storage for critical infrastructure like hospitals and schools, and integrate solar-backed microgrids for low-disruption supply,” stated a clean energy policy expert.
Many IT companies, start-ups, and educational institutions have begun advocating for BESCOM to publish 72-hour advance alerts on scheduled maintenance through integrated city apps or ward-level WhatsApp groups to help manage operational disruptions better. Despite the criticism, BESCOM maintains that the works are essential for ensuring uninterrupted supply during the upcoming monsoon months, which typically increase fault incidents due to water ingress and tree fall damage. Meanwhile, civic groups have urged the Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company to incorporate equity and accessibility into its grid upgrades. As per multiple housing collectives, slum rehabilitation colonies and low-income areas often face longer outages and slower repair turnarounds than more affluent zones—a disparity that directly contradicts the city’s vision for inclusive and sustainable urban living.
In the larger context of climate-adaptive infrastructure planning, experts warn that regular maintenance shutdowns must transition to predictive, AI-driven smart grid operations to limit citizen disruption and power loss. Such shifts are crucial if Bengaluru is to meet its commitments to net-zero emissions and uninterrupted, equitable energy access. As Bengaluru continues to urbanise at a breakneck pace, today’s power cuts serve as a stark reminder that modern, intelligent energy infrastructure isn’t just about expansion—it’s about resilience, sustainability, and fairness in delivery. Residents are adapting, but the onus is now on utilities and civic planners to build a grid that serves all with minimal disruption.
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