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Ludhiana: Safety gear gap sparks linemen safety concerns
Workers allege that basic protective gear such as specialised boots, earthing sticks (used to safely ground live wires), proper ladders, and safety harnesses are missing for many; according to official data, Ludhiana has recorded 38 electrocution cases and 17 fatalities in the past two years, with most of these incidents reported from the rural belts of the city
Amid the large-scale maintenance work underway across Ludhiana, to prepare for the peak summer demand, contractual linemen and assistant linemen, working in complaint handling bike and wagon crews, have raised serious concerns about the inadequate availability of safety equipment, particularly essential for handling high-tension electricity lines. Workers allege that basic protective gear such as specialised boots, earthing sticks (used to safely ground live wires), proper ladders, and safety harnesses are missing for many. Avtar Singh, divisional head of the Powercom and Transco Contractual Workers Union, stated that most of these staff are employed under Sandha and Company, a private contractor hired by PSPCL, yet critical protective equipments like gumboots, earthing sticks, collapsible ladders, and safety belts are often missing.
“During peak hours, the volume of complaints surges, and we are pressured to restore power quickly, often forcing us to take unsafe shortcuts. Last paddy season alone, 23 workers lost their lives across Punjab, in which eight were from Ludhiana but no concrete steps have been taken to curb these accidents,” Singh said.
According to official data, Ludhiana has recorded 38 electrocution cases and 17 fatalities in the past two years, with most of these incidents reported from the rural belts of the city. “In villages, linemen often work alone or in pairs with no oversight. Faulty lines run across open fields, making it much riskier, especially when we don’t have the necessary safety kits,” said a contractual worker posted in the Raikot division.
Severe manpower shortage adding to risk
A senior PSPCL official from the central zone admitted that a shortage of staff has made the situation worse. “Ludhiana has only 1,345 linemen, whereas 4,963 are required to serve the city’s 17 lakh consumers. “Even with 1,223 contractual complaint handlers, the workforce still remains insufficient,” the official said.
He confirmed that 73% of lineman posts remain vacant, putting immense pressure on the existing workforce. However, he also shifted the blame, alleging that some workers do not use the safety equipment issued to them. “Many don’t wear rubber gloves or helmets, which increases the risk of electrocution,” he said.
In response, a manager from Sandha and Company, speaking anonymously, acknowledged the hazardous conditions but blamed the lack of resources on PSPCL. “There are only 21 complaint handling wagons in Ludhiana, which are equipped with ladders and earthing sticks necessary for high-tension work. But we have 511 complaints handling bikes and each bike carries two workers. It’s nearly impossible to transport bulky safety gear on bikes. The corporation needs to increase the number of wagons in the city,” he explained.
He further claimed that most fatalities are the result of falls from poles rather than direct electrocution, largely because workers are not provided proper fall protection equipment. “We have supplied protective gear, but many workers skip wearing it because it’s inconvenient during time-sensitive and complex repairs,” he said.
“To enforce compliance, we have deployed nine safety supervisors across Ludhiana, each for every division. But that’s not sufficient. We’ve requested PSPCL to sanction more supervisor positions, but our appeal is still pending at the administrative level,” he added.
Chief engineer Jagdev Singh Hans, said, “We conduct regular safety training programmes to ensure workers are not exposed to preventable dangers. Whenever we receive reports of safety lapses, formal notices are issued to the concerned contracting firm,” he said.
