Ludhiana: To fix Ferozepur Road power pangs, PSPCL set to shift underground cables to monopoles

According to officials, the project will involve the installation of eight monopole structures and is expected to be completed by the end of January 2026 at an estimated cost of over ₹4 crore

After months of delays, the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) finally set the ball rolling on its long-pending project to shift the 66 KV underground cables from 220 KV substation along Ferozepur Road to overhead lines using monopole structures, officials familiar with the matter said.

The ₹4-crore work is likely to be completed by January. (HT Photo)

Monopoles are single, tall steel structures used to carry high-voltage transmission lines which occupy less space than traditional towers, officials said.

According to officials, the project will involve the installation of eight monopole structures and is expected to be completed by the end of January 2026 at an estimated cost of over ₹4 crore.

They added that the tendering and manufacturing clearances for the project were completed in September, following which the PSPCL initiated the installation work. The project will cover around 2.5 kilometres of the stretch along Ferozepur Road.

Regarding the delay, officials explained that it was due to a series of procedural and technical challenges that had to be resolved before the execution could begin. One of the major causes of delay was the extensive soil testing process, which is a mandatory step before erecting monopoles.

They added that these tests are carried out at multiple points along the project stretch and often take several weeks to complete, as the results determine the type of foundation to be laid. “Without accurate soil data, even a minor error can affect the stability of the structure,” the officials explained.

Another major factor behind the delay was the limited number of approved vendors for the supply of monopoles in the country.

“Currently, there are only four approved vendors across the country, and each of them handles multiple projects simultaneously. Since the production process involves customised fabrication, galvanisation and quality testing, it takes several weeks to deliver even a small batch adding to delays, officials added.

Recurring technical snags

The decision to shift the 66 KV cables overhead came after the existing underground network developed recurring technical faults, leading to frequent power outages in several key areas of the city, including the District Administration Complex, Feroze Gandhi Market, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) and Sarabha Nagar.

A senior PSPCL official said that the underground cables were laid in 2017 under the Smart City Project to address safety concerns from overhead lines. However, these cables have remained prone to breakdowns, often disrupting the power supply for hours.

In August this year, a major outage occurred when a restaurant owner accidentally damaged an underground cable while carrying out earthing work. The incident led to a complete shutdown of all 11 KV feeders under the 66 KV DC Complex grid plunging several upscale localities into darkness for more than four hours.

Similar faults were also reported in May and June, further highlighting the limitations of the underground system. “Since the cables are buried deep under the surface, locating the exact point of damage is a tedious and time-consuming process,” the official said.

Third monopole project in Ludhiana

Reportedly, this is the third monopole project being executed in Ludhiana. In August this year, the power department installed two monopoles in New Chander Nagar at a cost of ₹1.23 crore. The locality had witnessed several fatal mishaps in the past due to low-hanging wires, prompting the department to opt for the safer monopole model.

The first monopole project was inaugurated in June 2022 along GT Road near Jalandhar Bypass, where 49 monopoles were installed over a 12 km stretch from the Ladhowal substation at a cost of ₹16.25 crore.

“The overhead system will make maintenance easier, reduce power disruptions, and strengthen overall network reliability,” officials noted.