Following repeated complaints of power outages from residents of the high-profile Mantri Awas area, LESA expedited a ₹15-crore underground cabling project to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the Mantri Awas substation in Vibhuti Khand, Gomti Nagar.
Officials on Tuesday completed the laying of a 9-km-long underground 33 KV cable from the Satrikh and the transmission substation.
The Minister Awas substation, which supplies power to several VVIP areas and nearly 6,000 consumers, had reportedly relied for the last 11 years on “arranged” supply from other substations whenever its primary source failed.
The new dedicated line will directly connect the Minister Awas substation with the Satrikh Transmission substation, providing it with an additional permanent power source. The substation supplies electricity to several prominent localities, including Vikalp Khand-3, Vikrant Khand, Vastu Khand, Panchsheel Apartments, Parijat Hynext, the Electricity Regulatory Commission office, Pollution Control Board offices, and ministerial residences.
At present, the substation draws supply from the Malhaur/Malesemau transmission network. During breakdowns, supply is diverted from the Viraj Khand substation, frequently leading to load shedding and power outages in both areas.
Gomti Nagar executive engineer Dheeraj Yadav said that once the new cable becomes operational, power can be restored from the Satrikh Transmission substation whenever the existing supply fails. Chief engineer Sushil Garg Garg said the alternative underground supply line is expected to be commissioned within the next 10 days.
However, the pace and scale of the project have drawn criticism from consumer groups, with residents questioning why similar urgency is rarely shown in addressing power infrastructure issues in non-VVIP areas of Lucknow. The unusually fast execution has also raised concerns over the department’s priorities and its responsiveness to ordinary consumers facing frequent outages across the city.