Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Tuesday launched a first-of-its-kind initiative to transform Punjab into the country’s first state with pole-free villages by laying the foundation stone of an ambitious underground electricity wiring project in his native village Satoj. In a major relief for farmers and rural residents, the Bhagwant Mann Government has begun shifting electricity wires underground to prevent crop fires, fatal accidents and frequent power disruptions caused by overhead lines, while also freeing villages from the maze of dangerous poles and tangled wires.
Under the pilot project, 384 electricity poles will be removed from Satou and underground cables will be laid without digging roads, marking what CM Bhagwant Singh Mann declared as the beginning of a “Roshan Punjab” built on modern infrastructure, uninterrupted electricity supply and safer villages. Calling the “Satoj Model” a roadmap for the entire country, the Chief Minister said the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Government has fulfilled its promise of creating wire-free villages for Punjab’s farmers and asserted that underground power supply would also end the politics surrounding installation of electricity poles in villages.
Addressing a gathering, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Today is a historic day for the villages of Punjab as a major project to free villages from the web of electricity wires and unnecessary poles is being launched from here. Under this pilot project, all overhead electricity lines in Satoj will be shifted underground at a cost of around ₹8 crore. This is the first-ever project in the country, and with this initiative Punjab will emerge as a model project for the entire nation.”
Explaining the technical details of the project, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated, “Under this project, seven kilometers of High Tension lines, 9.5 kilometers of Low Tension lines, and 41 kilometers of service cables connecting 800 consumers’ homes will be laid underground. All High Tension lines connected from the 66 KV Grid Satoj to the village through three 11 KV feeders and linked to 28 transformers will go underground. Thereafter, in a historic initiative, all Low Tension lines from the 28 transformers to the meter boxes will also be laid underground.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The cables connecting meter boxes to all households will likewise be undergrounded, due to which 384 unnecessary electricity poles will be removed. A special feature of the project is that roads will not need to be dug up for laying underground cables because trenchless drilling machines will be used to install underground pipes. These pipes will be laid three feet beneath the ground, which will prove to be a major boon for common people.”
Highlighting the risks posed by overhead electricity wires, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Electricity poles and overhead wires pose the risk of electrocution to animals and people, especially children. Accidents frequently occur when tractors, combine harvesters, and other vehicles come into contact with overhead wires. Similarly, incidents of crop fires lead to significant losses for farmers. Rain, storms and strong winds damage poles and wires, disrupting electricity supply and causing financial losses to the power corporation.”
Calling the project a win-win initiative for the public, the Chief Minister added, “The network of poles and wires also affects the aesthetic appearance of villages. With High Tension and Low Tension lines shifted underground, electricity leakage will be eliminated, reducing transmission and distribution losses. Villages will receive uninterrupted power supply, underground wiring will significantly reduce accidents, incidents of crop fires caused by power lines will be prevented, and rain and strong winds will no longer disrupt electricity supply. Removal of unnecessary poles and tangled wires will further enhance the beauty and appearance of villages.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said the project would be remembered as a landmark initiative in Punjab’s history. “This project is being launched from my birthplace and will be written in golden letters in the history of Punjab. From this village, the Punjab Government has launched a project that no other state in the country has even thought about yet. This project became possible because my dream is becoming a reality today. This project was conceived years ago.”
The Chief Minister further said, “Today’s initiative is directly connected to the lives of ordinary people. These electricity poles will become history in the coming days.”
Recalling tragic incidents from the village, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann became emotional and said, “Three young men from this village had lost their lives due to electric shocks involving combine harvesters. They were the only breadwinners for their families. This project is a tribute to those young men because such tragic incidents should never occur in future.”
Describing the initiative as a transformative model for the country, the Chief Minister said, “The ‘Satoj Model’ will be known across the country for giving major reprieve to people in villages and cities. The world is talking about settlements on Mars, whereas our people were still entangled in issues of streets and drains. The Punjab Government has embarked on a digital revolution in Punjab. RTO services have been digitized and the Easy Registry system has been implemented with simplified language.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further said, “Earlier, registry documents used to be prepared in difficult language that ordinary people could not understand, forcing them to run from office to office. However, now people can get their registry done from any Tehsil within the district.”
Referring to the Punjab Government’s anti-sacrilege legislation, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “The Punjab Government has enacted a strict law against sacrilege, with provisions for punishment up to life imprisonment, to ensure that no one dares to disrespect Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji in future. The Almighty has bestowed me with the service to serve humanity through the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Amendment Act 2026, which stipulates harsher punishment for sacrilege.”
The Chief Minister added, “Previous rulers neither had the intent nor the will to enact a law to check sacrilege, because of which desecration of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji became a regular feature during their regimes. However, the Act passed by the Punjab Government will put an end to this because no one will ever dare to indulge in this unpardonable offence.”
CM Bhagwant Singh Mann further asserted, “The present Punjab Government is fully committed to the sanctity and respect of Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji and to ensuring strict action against anyone involved in sacrilegious acts. The government remains deeply committed to Sikh values and public sentiments. This land has witnessed times that bruised the psyche of the entire Sikh Sangat. The Punjab Government has now enacted this law to ensure that such incidents do not happen in future. Only some selected people, who think they themselves are the panth, are opposing it because their hands are drenched in sacrilege incidents.”
Highlighting the Punjab Government’s healthcare initiatives, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “Mukh Mantri Sehat Yojna has been launched under which health cards are being issued to all 65 lakh families in Punjab. Every family is entitled to free treatment up to ₹10 lakh. More than 30 lakh beneficiaries have already received health cards, while 1.65 lakh people have received free treatment under this scheme. I urge people to take maximum benefit of these cards.”
The Chief Minister further said, “The Punjab Government has started the Mawan Dheeyan Satkar Yojna under which every woman will be entitled to ₹1,000 per month and women belonging to Scheduled Castes will receive ₹1,500 per month. Funds will be directly transferred into bank accounts and women already receiving social security pensions will also be eligible. Nearly 97% of women in Punjab are expected to benefit from the scheme, for which the Punjab Government has allocated ₹9,300 crore in the budget.”
Cabinet Ministers Harpal Singh Cheema and Tarunpreet Singh Sond, along with others, were also present on the occasion.
Sharing a few snippets on X, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann stated: “Taking another historic step towards building the “‘Roshan Punjab’ of our dreams, today an ultra-modern project to shift electricity wires underground has been launched in village Satoj. This initiative will not only enhance the appearance of villages and cities, but will also provide complete protection to urban and rural areas from power cuts and accidents caused during storms and strong winds.”
“With this project, homes, commercial establishments and agricultural fields will receive uninterrupted, safe and more efficient electricity supply, thereby improving the quality of life of every citizen. This initiative is a key part of our larger vision to restore Punjab as a truly ‘Rangla Punjab’, where transparency and high-quality work are being ensured at every level. The AAP government is working day and night with complete dedication for your service and the progress of Punjab,” the post concluded.