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Ludhiana: Leaking roofs, flooded floors hit functioning at PSPCL offices
Decades-old PSPCL buildings exposed their decaying condition with flooded floors, leaking roofs and damp walls, making it a daily struggle for employees to perform routine tasks
As torrential rain battered Ludhiana for the third consecutive day on Wednesday morning, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) staff found themselves battling not just mounting complaints of outages but also the crumbling state of their own workplaces.
Decades-old PSPCL buildings exposed their decaying condition with flooded floors, leaking roofs and damp walls, making it a daily struggle for employees to perform routine tasks. The situation is worst at divisional offices in Focal Point, Fountain Chowk, Chaura Bazaar and Giaspura, which are crying for urgent repairs. At the Focal Point and Estate Division offices, employees were seen using buckets and saucepans to collect water from leaking roofs. Staff members said water has seeped into electrical wiring, leaving them at constant risk of electrocution. “Even turning on a fan or light is dangerous due to the leakage,” they pointed out.
In addition, staff pointed out that the seepage has also made it impossible to use computer systems as they trigger sparks when switched on. With systems down, staff remain unable to carry out their routine tasks. “Rainwater has inundated every corner of our offices. We are huddled into a single dry room to continue work,” they lamented.
In one alarming incident, the false ceiling at the Suvidha Centre in Focal Point, where the PSPCL office is also situated, collapsed during the downpour on Tuesday night. The damage has brought public dealings to a complete standstill. Routine services, such as applying for new connections, making bill payments, submitting deposits and replacing faulty meters have been suspended, turning down scores of visitors.
Meanwhile, senior PSPCL officials attributed the poor condition of the buildings to a prolonged shortage of funds. They said the civil wing of the department is responsible for maintenance, but funds have not been released for years. The burden of providing 300 free electricity units to consumers, they added, has further drained resources, leaving no money for repairs.
“As electricity is an essential service, whatever funds we receive from the state government are diverted to infrastructure upgrades, while our own offices are left to rot,” officials said.
When contacted, chief engineer Jagdev Hans said, “We will write to the higher authorities in Patiala to carry out essential repairs.”
