Under a plan to make Mohali an uninterrupted power supply zone, former Punjab chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh had laid the foundation stone of the new sub-station in Sector 80 in 2006 and it was scheduled to be made functional till February 28, 2009.

As the date for it to start functioning approaches, the machinery installed at the sub-station is reportedly being moved out.

While the officials concerned are tightlipped over the development, sources said the sub-station was being moved out to the area of an influential leader of the ruling SAD to facilitate his area residents.

Calling it a major setback, the Mohali Industries Association (MIA) said when Mohali residents were hoping for uninterrupted power supply from the coming month, the project has been compromised with.

“Shortage of power has become a permanent feature for the industries in the last two years. The fate of many industries is at stakes due to the poor power situation,” said MIA president B S Anand.

The MIA has written to Punjab Chief Minister and the Industries and Commerce Minister to save the industries in Mohali.

“Though Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh has assured us that transformers brought for the Sector-80 sub-station will not be diverted to any other area this time, we are apprehensive that these will be sent to the Amritsar area shortly,” added Anand.