Over the past few years, the state’s Gujarat Energy Transmission Corporation (GETCO) Limited has constructed around 50 new 66-kilovolt (KV) substations worth ₹350 crore  in various areas. 

An estimated ₹7 crore has been spent on civil works, transformers, machinery, and cabling for each substation, but the substations are yet to be operational. 

Administrative negligence?

According to sources, the newly constructed substations lack staff, and no agency has been assigned to recruit them. This has delayed the functioning of these substations. Numerous irregularities have also been reported within GETCO due to collusion among some senior officials.

Notably, GETCO is the only profitable unit in the energy department. The term of the crucial managing director of this unit ended four months ago, in March. But there has been no movement to appoint a new MD. This has stalled important policy decisions, directly impacting GETCO’s overall functioning.

Widespread corruption 

Sources indicate that due to lack of administrative control in recent times, employee misconduct has increased significantly within GETCO. Corruption is spreading its tentacles at every level. There have also been complaints about the lack of implementation of orders, such as the transfer of officers and employees serving in administrative and technical positions, for months.

For instance, the transfer order for a GETCO executive engineer numbered GETCO/HR/TRANS/EE/23/1723 dated 26/07/23, almost a year ago, is yet to be implemented. 

If immediate corrective measures are not taken to address the rot in the system at GETCO, sources believe the situation is likely to worsen in the coming days.