Bringing Major Relief to Punjab’s Farmers Through Pole-Free Villages Initiative
Sangrur, May 19
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday launched a first-of-its-kind initiative to transform Punjab into the country’s first state with pole-free villages by laying the foundation stone of an ambitious underground electricity wiring project in his native village Satauj. In a major relief for farmers and rural residents, the Bhagwant Mann Government has begun shifting electricity wires underground to prevent crop fires, fatal accidents and frequent power disruptions caused by overhead lines, while also freeing villages from the maze of dangerous poles and tangled wires.
Under the pilot project, 384 electricity poles will be removed from Satauj and underground cables will be laid without digging roads, marking what CM Bhagwant Singh Mann declared as the beginning of a “Roshan Punjab” built on modern infrastructure, uninterrupted electricity supply and safer villages. Calling the “Satauj Model” a roadmap for the entire country, the Chief Minister said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government has fulfilled its promise of creating wire-free villages for Punjab’s farmers and asserted that underground power supply would also end the politics surrounding installation of electricity poles in villages.
Addressing a gathering, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Today is a historic day for the villages of Punjab as a major project to free villages from the web of electricity wires and unnecessary poles is being launched from here. Under this pilot project, all overhead electricity lines in Satauj will be shifted underground at a cost of around 28 crore. This is the first-ever project in the country, and with this initiative Punjab will emerge as a model project for the entire nation.”
Explaining the technical details of the project, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Under this project, seven kilometers of High Tension lines, 9.5 kilometers of Low Tension lines, and 41 kilometers of service cables connecting 800 consumers’ homes will be laid underground. All High Tension lines connected from the 66 KV Grid Satauj to the village through three 11 KV feeders and linked to 28 transformers will go underground. Thereafter, in a historic initiative, all Low Tension lines from the 28 transformers to the meter boxes will also be laid underground.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The cables connecting meter boxes to all households will likewise be undergrounded, due to which 384 unnecessary electricity poles will be removed. A special feature of the project is that roads will not need to be dug up for laying underground cables because trenchless drilling machines will be used to install underground pipes. These pipes will be laid three feet beneath the ground, which will prove to be a major boon for common people.”
Highlighting the risks posed by overhead electricity wires, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Electricity poles and overhead wires pose the risk of electrocution to animals and people, especially children. Accidents frequently occur when tractors, combine harvesters, and other vehicles come into contact with overhead wires. Similarly, incidents of crop fires lead to significant losses for farmers. Rain, storms and strong winds damage poles and wires, disrupting electricity supply and causing financial losses to the power corporation.”
Calling the project a win-win initiative for the public, the Chief Minister added, “The network of poles and wires also affects the aesthetic appearance of villages. With High Tension and Low Tension lines shifted underground, electricity leakage will be eliminated, reducing transmission and distribution losses. Villages will receive uninterrupted power supply, underground wiring will significantly reduce accidents, incidents of crop fires caused by power lines will be prevented, and rain and strong winds will no longer disrupt electricity supply. Removal of unnecessary poles and tangled wires will further enhance the beauty and appearance of villages.”
