Lucknow, Oct. 25 -- Preparations are in full swing for the launch of Vertical Power Management System here on November 1. While officials claimed that the reform will streamline operations and improve efficiency, some say the lack of publicity and public communication has left 14 lakh electricity consumers unaware and unprepared. Vidyut Karmchari Sanyukta Sangharsh Samiti chairman Shailendra Dubey claimed that the proposal for the vertical power management system was drafted by private companies and would be implemented without consulting stakeholders. The new system will be managed by the Madhyanchal Vidyut Vitran Nigam Limited (MVVNL). He also alleged that 21 help desks, which have been announced by the discom, were inadequate for 14 lakh electricity users. "Moreover, most help desks are being placed near the offices of executive engineers, which are often 8-15 kilometers away from residential areas. Until now, consumers could visit nearby substations to meet junior engineers and resolve issues locally - a convenience that will soon disappear. This move could severely impact the power supply system in the state capital," Dubey added and claimed that the restructuring was being implemented solely to pave way for privatisation in the sector. The 'vertical' system, which is already implemented in Kanpur, Aligarh, Varanasi, and Meerut, has sparked widespread complaints from both consumers and employees. BJP's national vice president and Rajya Sabha MP Dr. Laxmikant Bajpai has questioned the move, while Amit Agarwal, the chair of the State Assembly's Estimates Committee, has also raised objections. A petition was moved before the electricity regulatory commission, calling the system's rollout a violation of the Electricity Distribution Code and claiming it was done without public consultation or regulatory approval. According to the convenor of Rajya Vidyut Parishad Junior Engineer Sangathan Satnam Singh, the top management of Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (UPPCL) was focusing more on privatisation rather than improving the power distribution system. While MVVNL maintains that supply-related complaints will still be addressed at local substations initially, other services - billing, meter, and account management - will soon shift to centralised help desks or the helpline 1912. An official of MVVNL said, " A vast improvement in services will be observed and no job losses would be witnessed as claimed by the employee unions."...