Ludhiana: Outage in Salem Tabri area after tipper knocks down electricity poles
Given the circumstances, PSPCL complained at the Sunder Nagar police station, urging an investigation to identify the errant driver; however, station house officer Satwant Singh distanced the police from the matter
A speeding tipper lost control and overturned on Karabara Road near Salem Tabri on the intervening night of March 26 and 27, knocking down nearly 10 to 12 electricity poles. The accident resulted in a prolonged power outage lasting over 20 hours in several residential areas, including Vaishno Colony, Papita Market and Nanak Nagar, causing significant inconvenience to residents.
According to Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) officials, the crash led to damages estimated at around ₹3 lakh. “Due to the severity of the impact, 10 transformers were damaged, plunging the affected localities into darkness,” officials added.
Meanwhile, frustrated residents blamed the authorities for allowing heavy vehicles to operate in residential zones.
Gurkirat Singh, a resident voiced his angst by stating, “Such large trucks should not be allowed on narrow roads. What if someone had come in contact with the tangled live wires? Who would have been responsible if there was a fatality? The authorities need to take strict action against such reckless drivers.”
Echoing similar sentiments, Seema Rani, a resident of Nanak Nagar, said, “We had no electricity for almost an entire day. With fans not working, it was difficult to endure the weather, especially for elderly residents and young children. Our inverters ran out, mobile phones died, and the food in our refrigerators spoiled. It was extremely difficult to manage in such conditions,” she said.
Shedding light on the incident, junior engineer Varinder Singh stated that their team received the information at 3 am and immediately rushed to the site. “Our priority was to isolate the transmission lines coming from the grid to minimize the impact. Currently, 20 to 25 workers are engaged in restoration work. We will restore the electricity by 10 pm in affected areas” he said.
“Notably, he further pointed out that when the PSPCL team arrived at the spot, the tipper was nowhere to be found. “It was only after checking the CCTV footage that we discovered the cause of damage. Unfortunately, the number plate was unclear, making it difficult to identify the vehicle or the driver. Fortunately, no casualties have been reported,” he added.
Given the circumstances, PSPCL complained at the Sunder Nagar police station, urging an investigation to identify the errant driver. However, station house officer Satwant Singh distanced the police from the matter. “We have received the complaint, but investigating the incident is the responsibility of PSPCL. The police have no role in this,” he stated.
