Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij on Friday expressed confidence that the ongoing strike by electricity department employees would end within hours, after union leaders agreed to hold talks with the state government in Panchkula at 3 pm.
The strike by around 40,000 electricity department employees entered its second day on Friday, disrupting power supply, water services and industrial activity across Haryana. The employees are protesting against the entry of a private electricity distributor in Gurugram and Nuh.
Speaking to ANI, Vij said he had spoken to union leaders and reiterated that dialogue was the appropriate way to resolve the dispute. He said the government was willing to consider their demands, including invoking Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, to address the regulatory order.
“I have nearly resolved the situation. I just spoke with the employee leaders as well, and I've been telling them since day one that a strike is not the way. Come, let's talk,” Vij said.
He added that the union had demanded the government invoke Section 108 to revoke the order issued by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC). Vij said he had discussed the matter with Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and was hopeful that the strike would end within a few hours.
On Thursday, Vij described the strike as unwarranted but said the state government was challenging HERC’s decision before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity (APTEL). The chief minister and Vij had earlier said the government would strongly represent the employees’ concerns before the tribunal.
The Haryana Bijli Karamchari and Engineers Joint Sangharsh Morcha called the strike after HERC, on October 19, granted a 25-year parallel electricity distribution licence to Eleven Power Private Limited for Gurugram and Nuh.
The order allows the private company to operate alongside existing state-owned distribution companies, potentially giving more than 8.3 lakh consumers—including households, farmers, shops, offices and industrial units—the option to choose their electricity supplier as the new network reaches their areas.
The licence covers Gurugram City, Gurugram Sub-urban, Manesar, Sohna and Nuh. The network is to be developed in phases over five years, with Nuh included in the first phase.
The proposed distribution network is expected to begin supplying consumers in the financial year 2027-28. The project envisages an investment of Rs 4,717 crore between FY 2026-27 and FY 2030-31.
According to the proposal, the network will incorporate smart meters, digital billing and a distribution management system. Its proposed power procurement mix comprises 80% renewable energy and 20% thermal power.
Section 14 of the Electricity Act, 2003, permits more than one distribution licensee to operate in the same area. Existing consumers will continue receiving electricity from their current distributor and will not need to take immediate action. They can opt to switch to the new provider as its network reaches their areas.
The licence holder is required to submit a detailed implementation plan for the first phase and a protocol for consumers wishing to switch within 60 days.
The employees’ union has warned that private electricity distribution could make power less affordable for farmers and economically weaker sections in both rural and urban areas.
The strike has severely affected several residential and industrial areas. In parts of Gurugram, residents reported power cuts lasting more than 30 hours.
Hundreds of people took to the streets late at night in areas including Ashok Vihar Phase 3, Daulatabad Flyover, Khandsa Road, Rajendra Park and Farrukhnagar. Protesters blocked roads and raised slogans against the government and administration.
Police reached the affected areas but faced difficulties clearing the blockades. Traffic congestion stretched for several kilometres, disrupting the movement of commuters and vehicles providing essential services.
Power disruptions were also reported in Sector 9, Hari Nagar, Sector 10, IDC, Bhim Nagar, Basai, Garhi Harsaru, Dayanand Colony, Shivaji Nagar, Dhanwapur, Surya Vihar, New Palam Vihar, Khandsa, New Colony, Gurgaon Gaon, Bajghera, Bhimgarh Kheri and Sheetla Colony, among other areas.
Residents said the prolonged outages had made conditions inside their homes difficult. Inverters and housing society backup systems reportedly failed within hours, forcing some people, including women and children, to remain outside their homes late into the night.
The power crisis has also disrupted drinking water supplies, as electricity cuts prevented boosting stations and household pumps from operating. Residents said they had been forced to rely on private water tankers to meet their drinking and daily needs.
A protester alleged that some tanker operators were charging arbitrary and exorbitant prices amid the shortage. Residents also complained that calls to official control rooms and helplines were either going unanswered or being disconnected.
Industrial activity has been affected in areas including Sector 37, Basai, Kadipur, Udyog Vihar and Begampur Khatola, where production reportedly came to a standstill in thousands of units, causing financial losses and affecting workers.
Deepak Maini, an industrialist and chairman of the Progressive Federation of Trade and Industry, said the administration should have engaged with entrepreneurs well in advance.
The government’s talks with union leaders are aimed at resolving the dispute over the entry of the private electricity distributor and ending the disruption caused by the strike.
(With agency inputs from ANI and PTI)