UP Power Crisis: Two Senior Engineers Suspended Amid Outages and Public Protests

The Uttar Pradesh Power Transmission Corporation has suspended two Executive Engineers following severe power outages and public unrest. MD Mayur Maheshwari took action against officials in Ghaziabad and Meerut, while CM Yogi Adityanath has called a high-level review meeting to address the crisis.

In a significant move to address the growing power crisis in Uttar Pradesh, the state government has initiated strict disciplinary action against senior officials, while amidst a grueling heatwave and frequent power outages that have sparked widespread public anger, the Managing Director of the UP Power Transmission Corporation, Mayur Maheshwari, has suspended two high-ranking Executive Engineers. This decision comes as the state struggles to maintain a consistent power supply, leading to protests and demonstrations by frustrated citizens across various districts.

Suspension of Senior Officials

The crackdown targeted officials responsible for the transmission infrastructure in the western part of the state, while according to the official orders, Rahul, the Executive Engineer (Transmission) for Ghaziabad and Transmission West, has been suspended from his duties. Following his suspension, he has been attached to the Meerut headquarters, while in a simultaneous action, Yogesh Kumar, the Executive Engineer (Transmission) for Meerut, was also suspended with immediate effect. These actions reflect the administration's zero-tolerance policy towards negligence during the peak summer season when electricity demand is at its highest.

Public Outcry and Protests

The suspension follows days of intense public dissatisfaction. Residents in several parts of Uttar Pradesh have been facing prolonged power cuts, leading to significant hardships during the extreme heat. Reports indicate that people have taken to the streets, staging sit-ins and gheraoing power houses to register their protest against the erratic supply, while the lack of accountability at the local level and the failure to address technical faults promptly have been the primary triggers for this public unrest.

CM Yogi Adityanath Calls for Review

Taking a stern view of the situation, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has intervened personally. The Chief Minister has summoned a high-level review meeting scheduled for tomorrow morning at 10:30 AM. The meeting will be attended by Energy Minister AK Sharma and senior officials from the Energy Department. The agenda of the meeting includes a comprehensive review of the current power supply situation across the state. Discussions will focus on identifying the root causes of frequent faults and tripping, as well as establishing clear accountability for officials in charge of maintenance and supply.

Technical Failures and Investigation

The immediate cause for the disciplinary action stems from a series of technical failures in the 132 KV transmission lines in the Meerut region. Reports highlight that on May 19 2026, the 132 KV Modinagar-2 Kankarkhera line tripped, resulting in a conductor breakage between tower numbers 33 and 34. The situation worsened the following day, on May 20, when the 132 KV Modinagar-2 Bedwapur line also tripped. During this incident, a conductor broke at the mid-span joint between tower numbers 8 and 9, and the upper portion of the tower was also damaged. These repeated failures indicated a lack of proper maintenance and oversight, leading to the current administrative crackdown, while authorities have hinted that further actions may be taken against other officials if more discrepancies are found during the ongoing investigation.