The going is only getting tougher for Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray

For the state government, managing the power situation is its priority. But the political challenges it has to negotiate are bigger

For the past 10 years, Maharashtra has not seen any significant power outage. When, amid a heatwave, fans stopped whirring last week and most of Mumbai went dark for several hours, it seemed that no contingency plan was in place. Maharashtra’s power demand has increased to over 28,000 megawatt (Mw) and is expected to cross 30,000 Mw. Ministers acknowledge hydel power is not an option as rivers are running dry. There is a shortage of coal. The rains are still some weeks away. How is Maharashtra going to cope?

For the state government, managing the power situation is its priority. But