Ludhiana: Strong winds in dist trigger power outages; over 22k complaints filed

Several areas across the district were plunged into darkness on Thursday night as strong winds swept through the city, disrupting power supply around 10pm.

The worst-affected localities were in the Focal Point division, including Jawala Singh Nagar, GTB Nagar, Pratap Colony, Friends Colony, Chandigarh Road, and Urban Estate Phases 1 and 2, where residents experienced prolonged outages.

Officials from the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) reported an 85% surge in power-related complaints due to the adverse weather. Normally, the PSPCL’s central zone receives about 12,000 complaints daily, but on Thursday night, the number soared to 22,302. By Friday evening, nearly all—22,249 complaints—had been resolved.

Strong winds disrupted around 11 to 12 feeders, causing power cuts in several areas,” said Amrinder Singh, executive engineer of the Focal Point division.

“Our teams worked through the night and restored electricity by 6am on Friday. Fortunately, there was no significant damage reported,” he added.

Besides Focal Point, areas under the Aggar Nagar and Model Town divisions also faced temporary power cuts. Officials clarified that these were precautionary measures in response to the gusty conditions.

Jagdev Hans, chief engineer at the PSPCL, said, “Power was deliberately switched off in densely populated localities with heavy greenery such as Focal Point, Aggar Nagar, Model Town and South City. During strong winds, falling tree branches can damage power lines, causing short circuits or electrocution. Cutting off supply helps prevent accidents and ensures public safety.”