Underground power lines: No to Power Cuts and farm crop fires due to spark
Last Updated: 15 October 2026
Satauj, CM's village, is Punjab's first pole-free village: ~₹8 crore pilot, 95%+ done in ~4 months[1]
-- 384 poles removed; ~6 km of 11-kV HT lines underground
-- ~800 of 826 houses on the underground network; meters moved into common boxes
-- ~4 MW residential load; cables heat- and water-resistant, 50-year warranty
No more poles & wires in fields: Punjab started shifting overhead power lines in farms underground[2]
-- Pilot launched by CM Bhagwant Mann from his village Satauj (Sangrur) on 19 May 2026 under 'Roshni Punjab'[2:1]
Problem: Loose/sparking overhead wires cause fires in standing crops, accidents with farm machinery & long power cuts after storms[2:2][3]
Satauj village pilot[1:1]
Foundation stone laid on 19 May 2026; 45-day target, finishing work under way after ~4 months
-- 28 existing transformers feed the new network from the village's 66-kV sub-station
-- Fewer weather-related outages expected; no loose overhead wires
-- Cables laid in HDPE conduits, up to 3.5 ft deep
Benefits[2:3][3:1]
- Fewer crop fires & accidents in fields
- Uninterrupted supply even in storms/strong winds
- Easier field work without poles in the way
References:
https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/384-poles-out-800-homes-connected-bhagwant-mann-satauj-10917857/ (Indian Express) ↩︎ ↩︎
https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=221350 (Punjab Govt Press Release, 19 May 2026) ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎
https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=219026 (28 Mar 2026) ↩︎ ↩︎
