Towering threat 132 kV power line on brink of collapse in Nurpur

The residents of Ward No. 7 in Nurpur are living under constant fear as a 132 kV high-tension power supply tower, precariously perched along the Bodh-Kushinagar four-lane bypass on the Pathankot-Mandi National Highway, edges dangerously close to collapse. The tower’s base has been severely weakened by relentless rainfall, soil erosion and hill cutting linked to ongoing highway construction.

The trouble began when the Mumbai-based company overseeing the bypass project sublet part of the work — from Kandwal to Bherkhud — to a subcontractor. But after the latter abruptly abandoned the site more than a month ago, the fragile terrain around the tower was left unprotected, turning the structure into a looming hazard for locals.

Investigations have revealed that the high-tension line belongs to the Shanan Power Project in Jogindernagar, Mandi district, now under the possession of the Punjab State Power Corporation Ltd. (PSPCL). Despite repeated warnings, the corporation has neither shifted the tower nor implemented any protective measures. This negligence has only heightened public anxiety, with heavy rains accelerating erosion and worsening the risk.

NHAI project director at Palampur, Vikas Surjewala, told The Tribune that the authority had already remitted Rs 80 lakh to PSPCL nearly nine months ago for the tower’s relocation. “The responsibility of shifting and safeguarding the tower lies entirely with PSPCL,” he emphasised, adding that he had recently flagged the issue to higher officials.

Nurpur SDM Arun Sharma, who was part of the inspection, said he immediately raised the alarm with the Deputy Commissioner of Kangra. In response, the DC moved swiftly and ordered the snapping of power supply from the Shanan project to Punjab to eliminate immediate danger. For now, the quick administrative response has bought time, but locals fear that without urgent action from the PSPCL, the looming threat of a collapsing tower remains far from over.