Power Outage at the Dhobighat

On the 5th of January, 2024, at 11:30 am, Dhobighat experienced a power outage in its main premises, which, as of now, remains unresolved. This outage has impacted the living conditions of six quarters, accommodating over six families and 30+ individuals. Dhobis, the laundry service providers, allege that this incident is part of a continued effort by the administration to challenge the legitimacy of their occupancy on campus.

In the aftermath of this occurrence, our team conducted an on-site visit to Dhobighat to delve deeper into the matter and gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation.

When the Institute was established, founding Director Prof Kelkar invited a group of dhobis to address the laundry needs of campus residents. Over the years, responsibilities passed down generations, with more families taking up washing work to serve the laundry needs of the growing student body. With the passing of the original male members, their children haven’t been formally allotted the property, forming the basis for the claim of illegal occupancy. This issue has drawn attention before, with Vox covering it in 2016 and 2023.

Following the power outage, the Dhobis approached the power substation seeking answers. Officials there suggested it might be an electricity fault and advised them to consult IWD Electricals. According to the Dhobis, IWD engineers attributed the issue to non-payment of electricity bills during the lockdown, a claim disputed by the Dhobis, citing financial challenges due to a lack of work. Eventually, the Electrical officials directed the Dhobis to seek resolution from the Dean of Infrastructure and Planning (DoIP).