Chandigarh: In a historic and transformative move for the agricultural sector of Punjab, Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has announced an ambitious infrastructure project to shift overhead electricity wires entirely underground across agricultural lands. This landmark initiative aims to tackle long-standing safety, operational, and environmental challenges faced by the state's farming community.
To demonstrate the government’s direct commitment to the grassroots level, the pilot phase of this massive underground wiring project is set to be personally inaugurated by Chief Minister Mann from his native village of Satauj in the Sangrur district.
Freedom From Hazardous Overhead Cables and Poles
For decades, traditional overhead electricity networks have posed a recurring nightmare for Punjab's farmers. High-voltage cables crisscrossing agricultural fields not only restrict the seamless movement of heavy farming machinery, like combine harvesters and tractors, but also lead to catastrophic financial losses every year.
During the dry harvest season, loose or sparking overhead wires often trigger sudden field fires, wiping out acres of ready-to-reap wheat and paddy crops within minutes. By eliminating electricity poles and burying the power infrastructure securely beneath the ground, the Punjab government aims to completely eliminate these accidental fires and provide a permanently clean, unobstructed topography for cultivation.
Enhanced Safety and Uninterrupted Daytime Power Supply
The primary objective of the transition is to elevate safety protocols in rural zones. Overhead lines are highly susceptible to severe weather conditions, causing wires to snap during heavy monsoon winds and storms, which frequently leads to fatal electrocution accidents involving both farmers and livestock. Shifting the transmission network underground will shield it from external weather disruptions, ensuring a more stable, hazard-free environment.
Furthermore, this infrastructure overhaul complements the state’s ongoing agricultural reforms. The Chief Minister highlighted that the government has already successfully optimized the power grid to supply free, uninterrupted electricity to farmers during daytime hours instead of the night. This has removed the grueling and dangerous task of nocturnal irrigation, allowing farmers to tend to their crops safely during daylight.
Statewide Rollout Plan and Synergy with Water Conservation
The initiative is designed as a phased strategic rollout. Following the initial pilot launch in Satauj village, the state authorities will closely monitor the functionality, distribution efficiency, and resilience of the underground grid. Upon successful completion of the trial phase, the model will be systematically scaled up to cover all rural and agricultural zones across Punjab.
This electricity grid modernization runs parallel to the state's aggressive water conservation campaigns. The Bhagwant Mann-led administration has recently overstretched efforts to revitalize Punjab’s ancient canal networks, encouraging farmers to shift away from heavily depleting tube wells to sustainable canal-based irrigation. By modernizing both water and electricity delivery channels, the government intends to future-proof Punjab's agricultural economy.
