A powerful squall that hit Ludhiana on Saturday night wreaked havoc near Kanganwal village, toppling nearly 50 electricity poles and inflicting damage worth crores on the city’s power infrastructure. The storm plunged the village into darkness and disrupted both daily life and movement in the area.
According to residents, electricity supply has only been partially restored, with most of the area still without power as the repair work by Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) is ongoing. Officials have estimated that it may take another three to four days to fully restore the supply and remove damaged infrastructure.
The storm also made commuting difficult, as the road near the village remains cluttered with fallen poles and live power cables. In several places, trees were uprooted by strong winds and fell onto the cables, triggering a chain reaction that brought down multiple poles.
“It could have been a major tragedy,” said Kokila, a resident of the area. “My son had just entered the house minutes before one of the poles fell right outside. We were lucky.”
Another resident, Ashok, recounted how a power pole fell onto a car parked outside his home. “Thankfully, no one was inside the vehicle at the time. The financial losses are huge, both for PSPCL and for many people in the village,” he said.
Dinesh Kumar, who runs a shop near the affected road, said he was shocked to see the aftermath of the storm. “The entire road was filled with toppled poles and cables. I had to walk very carefully to avoid getting hurt,” he said.
Authorities have urged residents to stay cautious and avoid venturing near downed power lines until the area is fully secured.
