Over 500 residents from villages near Wallajabad in Kancheepuram district launched a late-night protest by blocking roads to voice their anger over continuous, unscheduled power disruptions.
The protest began around midnight on Wednesday, severely affecting traffic flow on the Kancheepuram–Chengalpattu and Wallajabad–Vandalur highways for more than two hours.
Triggering the agitation was a power blackout that started around 8 p.m. in Karukkupettai and neighbouring hamlets and dragged late into the night, intensifying public frustration over the recurring electricity issues.
Locals claimed they’ve been battling frequent blackouts, voltage drops, and power surges for months, resulting in damaged appliances and constant interruptions to daily life.
Despite numerous complaints to the Electricity Board (EB), no corrective steps were taken, villagers alleged. Calls to EB officers during power failures often went unanswered, adding to residents’ fury.
By 11 p.m., with no sign of restoration, angry villagers flooded the roads, staging a sit-in protest at the busy intersection of two key highways.
Though traffic was blocked, the demonstrators showed restraint by allowing ambulances to move through, while halting a VIP convoy, including a police escort, which ended up stuck in the jam.
Police personnel from Wallajabad arrived and engaged with the crowd. Residents, many with children, said the erratic power made it impossible to rest or use basic appliances.
Eventually, EB officials revealed a snapped cable was the reason and worked to fix it. By 1:30 a.m., power and streetlights were restored, prompting the protestors to disperse peacefully.