Ludhiana: Major city markets are sitting on a tinderbox. A small spark in these markets can turn everything to ash. Loose and naked wires all around are a constant threat to shops in Chaura Bazar. Sparking wires and minor fires are a reality that vendors continue to live with, especially in the rainy season.
The number of wires tangled and loosely held together are so jarring that one can only wonder what the authorities — including the MC and power corporation — are doing. Despite so many incidents in the past due to naked wires, officials still seem unconcerned. Not only Chaura Bazar, but many areas near it too face the same problem — areas like Books Market, Light Market, and Kesar Ganj Market. However, it is not just the Municipal Corporation and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL), who are to be blamed for this situation, but vendors too.
Mahinder Pal, president of Chaura Bazar Association, Girjaghar, said: “Naked and dangling wires are the major problem because of which the whole market is suffering. Four days earlier, a blast take place in Bhatia Tea Stall, and when we called to complain, the PSPCL took almost half an hour to stop power supply. Officials take too much time to plan any action. There are 50-year-old wires in the market, which cause a huge risk to vendors and customers. I filed so many complaints at the PSPCL office, but no action has been taken yet.”
Kailash Sharma, member of Book Market Association, said: “Look at the naked wires in this market. As the problem is a huge one since a long time, many short circuit incidents happen here, but no action is taken by officials. Even if we call on an emergency number, including 1912, we get no response. Monsoon is around and these naked wires are a major risk to the lives of shopkeepers and visitors.”
Sham Sundar Chopra, president of Chaura Bazar Association, Saban Bazar, said: “Despite repeated requests to PSPCL staff since 2016, no one has turned up to solve the problem. A few days ago, a fire incident happened in Punjab National Bank in Chaura Bazar due to short circuit. But no one takes a lesson from these incidents. All of us are waiting for a mishap. Officials always find a temporary solution, due to which the problem remains unsolved. They never change damaged wires.”
Sunil Gupta, a shopkeeper at Books Market, while pointing to the high-tension wires, said: “20 days ago, a sparking took place in the wires on my shop’s roof. When I called up 1912, they registered my complaint, but arived at the spot after six hours. For almost three to four hours, the wires were on fire. PSPCL just did a temporary solution.”
PSPCL chief engineer Paramjit Singh said: “All the wires in the market are not electric wires. Many of them are generator wires, cable wires, and telephone wires, which are not related to us. Most of the electric wires are very high, so there is no such problem regarding electric wires. Also, 1912 is the helpine number for the entire state. We take almost 36,000 calls per day. So sometimes, the number gets busy, and in other cases, there is some delay. If anyone has a problem, they can file a written complaint.”