Ludhiana: PSPCL colony residents flag years of poor upkeep, seek action on long-pending repairs

They say years of complaints have brought little action; raise concerns over sanitation, safety and security

Residents of the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) colony in Sarabha Nagar say years of complaints about dilapidated quarters, waterlogging, overgrown vegetation and poor security on the campus have yielded little action from the power utility, leaving several parts of the residential complex in a state of neglect.

The colony has around 300 residential quarters, of which only about 100 are occupied.

Residents say the type 1, type 2 and type 5 quarters are completely vacant, while occupancy is largely limited to type 2 and type 3 quarters.

Several vacant houses, they said, have remained unattended for years, with broken doors and windows, damaged structures and overgrown bushes. Pothole-ridden internal roads and stagnant water have added to the problems.

“The condition has remained the same for the last four to five years. Every year we hope that the authorities will pay attention, but nothing has changed. The houses continue to deteriorate and the vegetation keeps growing,” said resident Hardeep Singh.

Residents said the overgrown vegetation around vacant quarters have become a safety concern, particularly because of the fear of snakes. Stagnant water on internal roads, they say, has also contributed to mosquito problems

“There are a lot of mosquitoes because of the stagnant water, while the overgrown grass and bushes around the vacant quarters make us fear that snakes may be hiding there. Some of these houses have been lying vacant for years without any maintenance,” said resident Arpana.

The problems, residents said, were not confined to vacant quarters. Some occupied houses have inadequate water supply on the upper floors, while several internal roads are damaged and become difficult to use after water accumulates on them.

Vakeel Singh, a lineman who lives in the colony, said employees were also required to maintain their allotted quarters despite deductions from their salaries. “When we came here, we even got the doors and grills installed ourselves. The houses are allotted to us and we are told to maintain them. Around ₹7,000-8,000 is deducted from our salary, but there is no proper maintenance. We also live with the fear of snakes,” he said.

Residents also complained of inadequate street lighting, damaged portions of the boundary wall and poor security at the main gate. They said broken sections of the wall and vacant stretches of the colony could make it easier for outsiders to enter the premises.

“Anyone can come inside. There is no proper security at the main gate and parts of the boundary wall are also broken. With so many vacant houses and bushes around, this creates a sense of insecurity,” said resident Anu.

Residents said they had repeatedly brought the issues to the utility’s notice but to no avail. They are now seeking a comprehensive inspection of the colony and a time-bound maintenance plan covering both vacant and occupied quarters.

Superintending engineer (Civil) Bikramjit Singh, “I joined the department only two months ago and am not fully aware of the issues at the colony. Residents can visit my office and submit their complaints. They can also approach senior executive engineer Jeevan Jyot Singh Bajwa regarding their concerns.”

Chief engineer Jagjeet Singh Hans also did not respond to repeated calls and messages seeking his response.