72-hour blackout: Why Gurugram went dark and highways were blocked

Thousands of families across Haryana were left without electricity and water on Thursday as nearly 40,000 power employees began a three-day strike. Gurugram suffered widespread blackouts, factories stopped production and angry residents blocked roads. The dispute follows a decision to allow private company Eleven Power to distribute electricity alongside the state utility in Gurugram and Nuh districts for 25 years.

Gurugram power cuts leave 50,000 households struggling

By Thursday evening, more than 50,000 households in Old Gurugram were affected, with power failures also reported in Palam Vihar, Rajendra Park, Sector 7 and neighbouring areas. Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) received more than 3,000 complaints in the first 12 hours. The figure climbed to about 5,000 as outages continued, according to local reports.

Residents said homes were without power for hours. With inverter batteries exhausted, many could neither pump water to overhead tanks nor work online. At Zara Aavaas, a housing society, residents reported a morning outage while backup electricity was reserved for lifts and other common facilities.

Frustration spilled onto the streets. Residents of Rajendra Park and nearby areas protested around a railway station road bridge in Gurugram. In Faridabad's NIT-2 area, people blocked a road after a power cut lasting roughly 13 hours. Police intervened.

Rewari also suffered disruption. A local workers' representative claimed cuts affected about 55 per cent of the town and industrial area and 35 per cent of rural localities.

Haryana electricity strike spreads across 15 districts

The walkout involved most Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) staff in Gurugram. Regular staff, outsourced personnel, and contractual workers from the Haryana Kaushal Rozgar Nigam all participated in the strike.

Outages were reported across at least 15 districts or administrative areas in Haryana, although the severity varied. Several complaints went unattended as workers stayed away from repair duties.

Gurugram factories halt production as power cuts continue

Industrial units were hit particularly hard. Production at nearly 1,800 manufacturing units in Gurugram's Sector 37 and Kadipur areas was disrupted, according to reports. Businesses in Basai and parts of Sonipat also faced cuts.

Factory owners said diesel generators could run only for limited periods before needing cooling breaks, while pollution-control restrictions complicated their use.

Progressive Federation of Trade and Industry chairman Deepak Maini said machinery had stopped and delivery schedules were under threat. For smaller businesses unable to run generators for extended periods, every additional hour without power meant more lost production.

Why are 40,000 Haryana electricity employees on strike?

The dispute centres on an order issued by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC) in October 19. It granted Eleven Power Private Limited a 25-year licence to build and operate a second electricity distribution network in Gurugram and Nuh, alongside the existing government-run supplier.

Eleven Power has proposed spending about Rs 4,717 crore over five years. Once the network is ready and regulators approve arrangements for switching, more than 8.3 lakh consumers in the two districts could choose between suppliers. That choice is not available immediately.

Unions fear a private operator will attract better-paying industrial and commercial customers, reducing revenue for DHBVN while it continues serving less profitable areas.

They warn this could affect jobs and the public utility's ability to support subsidised power for farmers. Some resident groups, however, have welcomed the prospect of competition, hoping it will improve service.

Haryana government to challenge Eleven Power licence

Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and Energy Minister Anil Vij have urged striking staff to return to work. Vij clarified that the HERC operates independently under central law, noting that the state government had actually opposed the private licence.

To resolve the dispute, the state plans to challenge the regulator's order before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL), seek an immediate stay, and take the case to the Supreme Court if necessary.

Meanwhile, officials have put emergency power arrangements in place for hospitals, water infrastructure, and Metro services, while police personnel remain deployed near key substations. 

Following emergency administrative interventions and police warnings, electricity supply was restored to many parts of Gurugram on Friday, though residents continue to grapple with severe low voltage that has left water pumps and heavy appliances unusable.

Also Read: The passport paradox - Why some of India's biggest household icons cannot vote