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Ludhiana: Staff crunch at PSPCL hits power restoration work
As per the list released from the PSPCL office, on Thursday evening there are approximately 8407 pending complaints in the central zone
Amid heavy rainfall in the city, numerous areas in the central zone have been grappling with significant power outages, causing inconvenience to people. According to the data obtained from the office of Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), thousands of complaints remain unresolved in the last 24 hours due to the acute shortage of staff. It is severely impacting the department’s overall functioning, particularly at the divisional offices.
In the central zone there are 5,184 vacant posts out of the sanctioned total of 7,745, leading to a strain on services. As per the list released from the PSPCL office, on Thursday evening there are approximately 8407 pending complaints in the central zone.
The shortage of staff has raised concerns among both officials and employees, as it is causing hinderance in the efficient execution of tasks and responsibilities. Among the divisions, the focal point division has 1679 pending complaints, followed by 844 in the special division West, 4175 in the Aggar Nagar division, and 657 in the Model Town special division. It has been revealed that approximately 20 transformers in the central zone were damaged, out of which some have been already replaced and defects have been rectified in others. Common complaints include cable damage, cable box damage, power cuts, and transformer damage, amongst others.
The PSPCL central zone plays a crucial role in ensuring smooth electricity supply and distribution across several divisions, including Aggar Nagar, Model Town, and Central division. However, the personnel crunch poses a significant challenge to the zone’s ability to meet its obligations effectively.
According to data obtained from the PSPCL office, the central zone has 138 vacant posts for junior engineers (electrical) out of a total of 411. Furthermore, out of the 1,874 linemen positions and 3,089 assistant lineman positions, 1,229 and 2,409 positions respectively are lying vacant. Additionally, there are 701 clerk positions, out of which 392 are unfilled.
Due to a large number of positions remaining vacant, the divisional offices are struggling to manage day-to-day operations effectively. The existing staff members are burdened with an increased workload, leading to exhaustion and reduced productivity. Moreover, the mounting pressure on these individuals raises concerns about their well-being and the potential for burnout.
Jaskaran Singh, a resident of Model Town, said, “The deteriorating situation has not only caused inconvenience to power consumers but has also impacted the overall reliability and quality of electricity supply in the central zone, as most complaints go unresolved. Whenever we request for a lineman to come and restore the power supply, we are told that there is a shortage of staff and a large number of pending complaints.”
Superintending engineer (West), Anil Sharma, acknowledged the challenges faced by the division, saying, “Around 14 transformers have been damaged in the west areas, and most complaints are being resolved according to the available staff. Although there is a shortage of personnel, we are working to rectify each and every complaint.”
