SANGRUR, MAY 20 — Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday launched a first-of-its-kind infrastructure project to shift rural electricity networks underground, establishing a framework aimed at making Punjab the first state in the country with pole-free villages.
The pilot project was initiated in Mann’s native village of Satoj with an estimated budget of 8 crore rupees. The state government designed the initiative to eliminate overhead power lines, which have historically caused destructive agricultural fires, fatal electrical accidents, and frequent weather-related supply disruptions across rural communities.
“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,” Mann stated during an address to a gathering in Sangrur. “Under this pilot project, all overhead electricity lines in Satoj will be shifted underground. This is the first-ever project in the country, and with this initiative, Punjab will emerge as a model project for the entire nation.”
The scope of the technical layout in Satoj involves installing 7 kilometers of high-tension lines, 9.5 kilometers of low-tension lines, and 41 kilometers of specialized service cables. The network will directly link 28 local transformers to the meter boxes of approximately 800 consumers.
Engineers will use trenchless drilling machines to lay the pipes three feet beneath the surface, a method that allows crews to install the underground infrastructure without digging up existing rural roads. Upon completion, the project will allow for the removal of 384 structural electricity poles across the village, a shift that state officials noted will also eliminate local political disputes regarding pole placement.
Mann related the project to past tragedies in the area, stating that the underground network serves as a tribute to three local youth who lost their lives to accidental electrocution involving agricultural machinery. He noted that removing the low-hanging wires will safeguard farmers operating large combine harvesters and tractors, while significantly lowering transmission and distribution losses for the state power corporation.
Beyond infrastructure, the Chief Minister utilized the platform to update the public on several broader state welfare policies, including the Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna, which provides free medical treatment up to 10 lakh rupees for provincial families. He also noted the allocation of 9,300 crore rupees for the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna to provide direct monthly financial assistance to women across the state.
