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Ludhiana: PSPCL clears ₹23 crore tenders, but ground progress remains slow
From Bhadaur House to Chaura Bazar, Mochpura, Meena Bazar, Kesar Ganj Market, Barsati Bazar, Gur Mandi and Daresi, overhead cables hang precariously above narrow lanes teeming with shoppers, traders, handcarts and two-wheelers.
Ludhiana: From congested wholesale markets to dense residential areas, Ludhiana continues to live under a silent but deadly threat - a sprawling network of dangling, tangled, and low-hanging power cables that residents say has turned everyday movement into a calculated risk. Even as Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) has cleared tenders worth ₹23.04 crore to fix the problem, large parts of the city remain exposed, with only limited on-ground work visible so far.
The danger is most acute in the city’s oldest and busiest commercial zones. From Bhadaur House to Chaura Bazar, Mochpura, Meena Bazar, Kesar Ganj Market, Barsati Bazar, Gur Mandi and Daresi, overhead cables hang precariously above narrow lanes teeming with shoppers, traders, handcarts and two-wheelers.
Despite repeated directives from the district administration and assurances from the power utility, ground-level work has begun only in limited pockets so far, leaving large parts of the city exposed to the same risks that have sparked public concern for years.
The issue gained urgency after the district magistrate issued a blanket order directing all utility agencies, including the electricity department, telecom operators and cable providers, to immediately inspect and rectify dangerous overhead wiring across roads, markets and public spaces. The order warned that exposed electric and cable wires endangered lives, and that legal action would be initiated against violators installing or maintaining wires in an unsafe manner. In response, PSPCL announced a structured project on January 22 to remove and reorganise hazardous wiring across Ludhiana. Officials said the initiative aims to eliminate low-hanging electric lines, clear non-PSPCL cables from power poles, and replace multiple cable joints, often blamed for sparking, voltage fluctuations and fire incidents, with continuous insulated wiring.
As per official records, the total tender value cleared so far stands at ₹23.04 crore, covering 19 divisions across Ludhiana city. Contrary to earlier assumptions, officials clarified that ₹11.9 lakh has been sanctioned for Ludhiana West circle, while ₹11.95 lakh has been approved for Ludhiana East circle, as part of phased execution under separate tenders. These are city-specific works and do not include rural areas, where tendering is still pending, a senior PSPCL official said, adding that multiple tenders have been floated to ensure division-wise execution by different contractors.
The tender opening date was February 10, 2026. However, full-scale work across the city is yet to begin. At present, execution has started only in City West Unit-I, with work underway near Fuhara Chowk, officials confirmed.
According to the rollout plan, additional works are scheduled to begin in phases. From March 9, divisions including Model Town, Janta Nagar, Aggar Nagar and City West areas are expected to be taken up. Similarly, areas under the East circle, including Focal Point, city centre, CMC vicinity and Sunder Nagar, are proposed to see activity from March 5, subject to contractor mobilisation.
Officials acknowledged that the delay has been partly due to manpower constraints, as PSPCL is simultaneously executing multiple infrastructure upgradation projects to maintain an uninterrupted power supply.
Explaining the scale of the problem, a shopkeeper from Chaura Bazaar said Ludhiana’s skyline is criss-crossed with wires, hanging as if waiting for a tragedy. During strong winds or rain, these wires spark dangerously. Even during peak load hours, sparking is common, and in the past, such incidents have led to serious accidents, the official said.
The citywide initiative is an expansion of a pilot project launched in the City West division last year, under which non-electric cables were removed from power poles and low-hanging electric lines were raised to safer heights. Encouraged by the pilot’s results, PSPCL decided to replicate the model across the city.
Confirming the political push behind the project, Chief Engineer Jagdev Hans said the initiative was launched at the direction of Punjab Power Minister Sanjeev Arora.
This work has been started at the direction of the power minister. It will be implemented gradually but systematically across Ludhiana. While the first tender has entered the execution stage, the remaining divisions will follow in a phased manner,” Hans said.
He added that each tender has separate bidders and timelines, and coordination with telecom and cable agencies will be crucial to ensure long-term safety. The objective is not just removal but proper reorganisation, so that inspections become easier and hazards are permanently reduced, he said.
However, on the ground, residents and traders say the delay continues to put lives at risk, especially in congested markets and high-traffic junctions. Civic activists have urged the authorities to fast-track execution before the onset of the monsoon, when dangling wires become even more dangerous.
With tenders cleared and funds sanctioned, the coming weeks will be critical in determining whether PSPCL’s ambitious plan finally translates into visible change, or remains another announcement overshadowed by hanging cables and unanswered safety concerns.
