Panchkula Storm Unleashes Havoc: Power Grid Collapses, Water Supply Crippled
Panchkula was thrown into chaos on Friday as fierce gusty winds and torrential rain wreaked havoc across the city, severely disrupting normal life. The severe weather conditions led to an extensive power outage that lasted for nearly nine hours, plunging large swathes of the city into darkness and triggering a cascading water supply crisis in several key residential and industrial zones.
Power Infrastructure Battered: Main Sub-Station Disturbance and Fallen Trees
Residents throughout Panchkula reported prolonged and frustrating power cuts as the storm's intensity overwhelmed the electrical infrastructure. Restoration efforts were significantly hampered by multiple disturbances, including fallen trees that damaged power lines and critical equipment. Chandan Singh, the Chief Engineer of UHBVN in Panchkula, confirmed the severity of the situation, stating, "There was a disturbance at the main sub-station, and electricity supply was critically affected due to numerous fallen trees blocking and damaging distribution networks." The failure at the Madanpur sub-station was specifically identified as a primary cause, cutting off power to numerous areas and requiring urgent repairs.
Water Supply Paralyzed: Boosting Station Failure in Industrial Area
The massive power outage had a direct and severe impact on Panchkula's water supply system. The absence of electricity crippled the boosting station located in Industrial Area Phase 1, which is crucial for maintaining water pressure to several sectors. An SDO of HSVP explained, "In the absence of power supply, the boosting station at Industrial Area Phase 1 was completely non-functional, because of which adequate pressure for water supply could not be maintained or delivered." This failure specifically affected water availability in Sectors 12A, 14, 15, 19, and 21, as well as both phases of the industrial area, leaving residents without a basic essential for hours.
Resident Frustration Peaks: Communication Breakdown and Official Unresponsiveness
As the crisis unfolded, frustration and anger mounted among Panchkula residents due to a complete breakdown in communication from civic authorities. Mohit Gupta, a resident of Sector 25, highlighted the systemic failure, noting that all usual complaint channels—including the official call centre, designated WhatsApp helpline, and social media platforms—remained utterly unresponsive. "Even direct messages to the SDO and XEN brought no response or acknowledgment. If there is a major fault affecting thousands, residents have the fundamental right to be correctly and promptly informed about restoration timelines," he asserted. Gupta added that the WhatsApp helpline number was displaying as invalid, further cutting off a critical line of communication with officials during the emergency.
S K Nayar, President of the Citizens' Welfare Association in Panchkula, echoed these concerns, confirming that residents were only minimally informed about the Madanpur sub-station failure, with no further updates or transparency as hours passed without power or water.
Property Damage and Safety Hazards: Trees, Cars, and Electrical Risks
The storm left a trail of property damage and created dangerous safety hazards across Panchkula. In Sector 12A, a large tree in a public park crashed onto an Innova car, severely damaging its roof, side door, and both front and side glass. Another tree was reported to have fallen in a park in Sector 7. Residents in Sectors 16 and 25 reported seeing heavy tree branches precariously hanging from live electric wires, posing an immediate electrocution risk.
Shivani Suri, a resident of Sector 6, raised an alarm about a hazardous electric pole near a government school, stating, "There is an electric pole outside our area near the govt school, which is leaning dangerously and is life-threatening for children and commuters. The concerned officials must take immediate corrective action to prevent a tragedy."
Furthermore, residents of Sector 16 complained of significant damage to expensive electronic gadgets—such as televisions, refrigerators, and air conditioners—caused by severe voltage fluctuations. They reported experiencing very high voltage spikes in the evening, followed by extremely low voltage later, which can irreparably harm sensitive electronics.
Additional Woes: Waterlogging in Abheypur Compounds Misery
Adding to the multitude of problems, instances of waterlogging were reported from Abheypur, exacerbating the difficulties for residents already struggling with the dual crises of power and water disruption. The accumulated water created inconvenience, potential health risks, and further highlighted the drainage challenges during such extreme weather events.
The Friday storm in Panchkula has exposed critical vulnerabilities in the city's infrastructure and emergency response systems, leaving citizens demanding better preparedness, robust communication, and swift action from authorities to mitigate such crises in the future.
