Chandigarh: Senior Shiromani Akali Dal leader Bikram Singh Majithia has accused the Punjab government of ignoring serious warnings from engineers at the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), claiming that the state’s electricity infrastructure is under unprecedented stress and could face a major breakdown if urgent corrective measures are not taken.
In a statement released on social media, Majithia referred to a letter reportedly written by the Punjab State Power Engineers Association (PSEBEA) to the Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of PSPCL. According to him, the letter highlights multiple operational challenges that are affecting the state’s power distribution and management system.
Majithia stated that the engineers have warned of acute staff shortages, lack of essential materials required for maintenance, the failure of the SBS billing system, deficiencies in the Information Technology (IT) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems, inadequate manpower at the 1912 consumer complaint call centre, pending promotions, and a steadily increasing workload on existing employees. He claimed that the association has cautioned that the power system could fail at any time if these issues are not addressed promptly.
The senior Akali leader emphasised that these concerns have not been raised by the political opposition but by the department’s own technical experts. “When the department’s own engineers ring the alarm bells, the issue is no longer about political allegations. It indicates that the system itself is under severe stress,” Majithia said.
Criticising the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)-led Punjab government, Majithia alleged that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has been focusing on publicity campaigns and advertisements instead of addressing what he described as serious administrative shortcomings within the power sector. He questioned why the government has not publicly responded to the engineers’ concerns despite the alleged written warning.
Majithia further asked whether the government would act only after a major power crisis occurs. He said that Punjab requires a dependable and resilient electricity network capable of meeting the growing demands of consumers, industries, agriculture, and public services.
The Akali leader warned that if immediate corrective measures are not implemented, the infrastructure of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited could deteriorate further. He asserted that any large-scale disruption in the state’s electricity supply resulting from administrative neglect would raise serious questions regarding accountability.
Majithia concluded by urging the Punjab government to prioritize strengthening the state’s power infrastructure instead of relying on promotional campaigns. He said the people of Punjab deserve uninterrupted and reliable electricity services and called upon the government to respond to the concerns reportedly raised by its own engineers before the situation escalates into a larger crisis.
At the time of publication, the Punjab government had not publicly responded to Majithia’s statements or the issues he attributed to the Punjab State Power Engineers Association. The allegations and claims mentioned above reflect the statements made by Bikram Singh Majithia and have not been independently verified.