Lucknow, May 25 -- : A single junior engineer (JE) managing three to four substations and a subdivisional officer (SDO) overseeing nearly 10 to 12 feeders has become routine across several power distribution divisions in Uttar Pradesh, exposing the deepening strain on the electricity system.

Engineers claim that excessive workload and constant pressure affect efficiency. They say employees often remain on duty late into the night during faults, outages, and peak summer demand.

Another major concern being highlighted is the decline in field-level technical staff.

Employees allege that workers were shifted away from field duties into substation operator (SSO) roles, while a large number of contractual linemen and SSOs were removed or red...