E-Paper
Ludhiana: 6 months on, ₹15-crore solar project work at snail’s pace
The project worth ₹15.11 crore aims to generate 2809.56 kW of green electricity; several key substations such as Nurewal, Gill Road, Giaspura, and GT Road have been selected for installation
Six months after receiving all clearances for the power utility’s flagship initiative to boost green energy at its substations, the project work has been going on at a snail’s pace. Under the plan, on-grid solar panels were to be installed at 87 substations across the district, but not a single panel has been set up yet, officials familiar with the matter said.
Notably, the project worth ₹15.11 crore aims to generate 2809.56 kW of green electricity. Under this, several key substations such as Nurewal, Gill Road, Giaspura, and GT Road were selected for installation. Additionally, Nurewal was set to get the highest capacity of 101.72 kW.
A senior PSPCL official, seeking anonymity, noted that the plan was finalised in September 2024 and the contract was handed over to a firm — Sugs Lloyd. However, despite the work order being issued in December, progress has been minimal since then.
While PSPCL officials blame the company, a representative from the contractor firm claimed otherwise. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said, “There are fund issues and poor coordination from the department. Many officials are not even aware of the project’s current status. We are working only in sync with the release of funds and work orders.”
When contacted, Gurpreet Singh, superintending engineer (P&M wing) acknowledged the slow pace of installation. “There has been slow progress in this project. We have sent multiple notices to the company to speed up the work,” he said.
