Power Minister AT Mondal on Thursday addressed the ongoing electricity crisis in the plain regions of Garo Hills—particularly Rajabala—citing infrastructure limitations and right-of-way disputes as major hurdles.

His comments follow criticism from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), which has warned of a public demonstration outside his residence unless swift action is taken.

Rajabala TMC MLA, Mizanur Rahman Kazi, accused the state of neglecting repeated pleas, claiming several rural areas are experiencing prolonged outages, with blackouts lasting up to six days.

Acknowledging the gravity of the issue, Mondal maintained that some improvements had already been achieved. “I urge you to visit the plains and ask the residents whether things have improved. I’m not denying that Rajabala and Phulbari face problems,” he said.

While Phulbari has seen improved voltage and supply, Rajabala continues to suffer due to delays in upgrading a substation sanctioned in 2015. “We couldn’t proceed due to right-of-way problems. The contractor abandoned the work,” Mondal said.

He added that after multiple attempts, he personally intervened to resolve the deadlock by meeting local leaders. “On my third try, I contacted the Nokma of Balachanda. I thank him for coming to my residence and helping settle the matter.”

Mondal noted that the Halidiagunj substation has been upgraded and is partly supplying Rajabala. “Some progress has been made. Once the Rajabala substation is complete—we expect this by August—the area’s issues should be resolved.”

To manage overloading, Mondal proposed that village committees monitor the use of electric pumps for farming. “There’ll be a regulated system, limiting motor use to specific hours,” he said.

He further explained that Rajabala is currently served by an outdated line extending from Phulbari. “Even my own village is connected to that line. So, when it fails, half of Phulbari is affected. We now plan to separate these networks,” he added.

Defending his involvement, Mondal remarked, “If I don’t act in my own area, who suffers? I do. As a minister, it’s my duty to look after the entire state.”

He urged residents to remove unauthorised connections that cause transformer overloads and breakdowns. “I’m monitoring the progress daily and would like to formally thank the Nokma for granting the right of way,” he concluded.