NAVI MUMBAI, Oct. 11 -- As dusk fell over Navi Mumbai on October 9, large parts of the city were plunged into darkness, not because of a technical fault, but as fallout of the statewide protest. A Joint Action Committee (JAC) of seven of 23 labour unions, comprising engineers, officers, and other employees of Mahavitaran (MSEDCL), Mahagenco, and Mahatransco, declared on Wednesday a 72-hour strike starting Thursday, resisting privatisation in Maharashtra. The fallout from the protest reached Navi Mumbai's doorstep, where reportedly 80% of the unions participated. An MSEDCL official maintained that "no major disruption" occurred and that "supply was restored within hours." With junior technical staff absent, senior officials scrambled to form alternative teams, but their lack of familiarity with the local network caused delays. Emergency control rooms were activated in Belapur and Nerul, but residents found the response reactive and inadequate. Following the withdrawal of the strike in the evening, an MSEDCL official assured that electricity supply was being restored across all affected parts of Navi Mumbai. He said additional technical teams were on standby to address any lingering complaints and that control rooms would continue to monitor the situation closely. Residents in Ghansoli, Airoli, Nerul, Belapur, Seawoods, Vashi, and Turbhe confirmed that power had returned by late evening, though a few societies initially reported minor voltage issues. In several areas, tempers flared on Friday as residents accused employees of deliberate sabotage. "They shut sub-station shutters and disconnected power deliberately," alleged Poonam Patil, Navi Mumbai Congress President. "We've demanded that criminal cases be registered at the CBD Belapur police station. If they want to fight the government, let them cut power to MLAs and ministers-not to the common man." Nerul Sector 21 was among the worst-hit areas. The linemen "shut the supply and took away the handle from the transformer room, which is required to crank up the electric supply," Former corporator Netra Shirke said. Shirke also cited incidents in Sanpada Sector 23, where protesters removed the fuses and allegedly reversed contractors' attempts to restore power....