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Ludhiana: Nearly 70% vacant posts strain PSPCL operations
PSPCL is operating with a massive manpower deficit as 2,190 out of 3,089 sanctioned assistant linemen positions and 1,229 of 1,905 lineman posts are vacant
Even as electricity demand continues to surge in Punjab’s industrial capital, the power distribution network in Ludhiana is operating with a massive manpower deficit, with several key field posts lying vacant in the central zone of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL).
Data indicate that the shortage is most severe in the assistant lineman (ALM) cadre, the frontline workforce responsible for repairing faults, maintaining distribution lines and restoring electricity supply during outages. Against 3,089 sanctioned ALM posts in the central zone, only 899 are currently filled, leaving 2,190 positions vacant. The numbers indicate that nearly 70% of the sanctioned field workforce is missing, leaving existing staff to manage a vast network of power lines and customer connections.
In the lineman category, out of the 1,905 sanctioned posts, only 676 are filled, while 1,229 positions remain vacant.
In the JE-2 (electrical) category, 214 posts are filled against 467 sanctioned positions, leaving 253 vacancies. The data further shows that meter reading staff are critically short, with only 14 employees working against 177 sanctioned posts, leaving 163 vacancies in a role essential for consumption monitoring and billing verification.
In the clerical cadre (LDC and cashier), 312 employees are currently working against 749 sanctioned posts.
Employees say the shortage has persisted for years and continues to affect daily operations in Ludhiana, one of the state’s largest power consumption centres, due to its dense industrial base and expanding urban population.
With limited staff managing substations, distribution feeders, and thousands of consumer connections, workers often have to perform multiple roles simultaneously. During peak fault periods, particularly in extreme weather conditions, the shortage becomes more visible as staff struggle to attend to complaints across several areas at once.
Sources in the department say that in some cases, technical workers are also required to assist with clerical tasks because of the shortage of office staff, further reducing the manpower available for field operations.
Power sector observers note that while the electricity network in Ludhiana has expanded steadily over the years to accommodate industrial growth and urban expansion, recruitment in several technical cadres has not kept pace with the increasing workload.
When contacted, Jagdev Singh Hans, chief engineer of PSPCL’s central zone in Ludhiana, acknowledged the manpower constraints but said the corporation is ensuring that supply remains unaffected. “Despite the manpower shortage, our teams are working round the clock to ensure an uninterrupted power supply. Operations are being managed with the available workforce,” he said.
