Residents of Palavakkam in Chennai staged a protest by laying siege to the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) office and blocking the road after an unannounced power outage lasted for nearly seven hours. The protesters alleged that officials failed to provide any explanation and claimed that frequent power cuts had been affecting the locality for the past 50 days, as reported in Hindu Tamil.
Over the past month, several parts of Chennai and other cities in Tamil Nadu have witnessed repeated instances of unannounced power outages. In the latest incident, electricity supply remained disrupted for nearly seven hours in Palavakkam and surrounding areas along East Coast Road (ECR), causing significant hardship to residents.
The prolonged outage reportedly affected elderly people, infants, school and college students, and patients, many of whom were forced to endure the entire night without electricity.
Residents Lay Siege To Electricity Board Office
Frustrated by the prolonged outage, residents gathered at the Palavakkam TNEB office and demanded an explanation from officials. A heated argument reportedly ensued after officials allegedly failed to provide satisfactory answers or clarify the reason for the power disruption.
As tensions escalated, several residents, including women who had brought their children along, laid siege to the electricity board office in protest.
Road Block Protest Causes Traffic Disruption
Dissatisfied with the response from officials, the protesters later staged a road blockade by sitting on the road. Some also reportedly stopped passing vehicles to register their protest.
The agitation disrupted traffic in the area and created tense scenes late into the night. Police personnel and government officials later arrived at the spot and held talks with the protesters in an attempt to pacify them.
“Doesn’t The Chief Minister Know What’s Happening Here?”
Residents participating in the protest questioned whether Chief Minister Vijay was aware of the situation, pointing out that he uses the same route every day.
They alleged that while the Chief Minister’s residence would have access to a generator during power outages, ordinary residents had no such facility and were left standing outside their homes with their children even after midnight. The protesters described the situation as a reflection of the government’s negligence.
Residents Allege Officials Were Unreachable
The protesters further alleged that they repeatedly attempted to contact electricity board officials during the outage, but their calls went unanswered. They also claimed that the contact numbers provided by the department were either switched off or non-functional, leaving residents without any assistance even during an emergency.
“Power Cuts Have Continued For 50 Days”
Residents claimed that frequent and unannounced power cuts had become a regular occurrence in the area over the past 50 days. They said electricity was being disconnected for several hours without prior notice and urged the authorities to ensure proper maintenance of the power infrastructure and issue advance notifications before planned outages.
Residents Question TVK Functionary
During the protest, residents also confronted a TVK functionary who was present at the spot and questioned him over the recurring power outages. However, according to those present, he left the scene without responding to their questions.
சென்னை ஈ.சி.ஆரில் உள்ள பாலவாக்கம் பகுதியில் நேற்றிரவு 9.30 மணி முதல் நள்ளிரவு 1 மணி வரை மின்சாரம் துண்டிக்கப்பட்டதால் பொதுமக்கள் அவதி; ஆத்திரமடைந்த மக்கள் சாலையில் அமர்ந்து போராட்டம்#Palavakkam | #PowerCut pic.twitter.com/QcyBVUNV8v
— PttvOnlinenews (@PttvNewsX) July 9, 2026
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