A three-day strike called on October 22 by nearly 40,000 electricity employees and engineers has disrupted power supply across Haryana and Delhi-NCR, consequently cutting water, electricity supplies and compelling industrial units to suspend functions. The protest expected to continue until October 24, has specially affected Gurugram, Faridabad and Nuh, with outages continuing more than 16 hours in some areas.
The strike flagged by electricity employee unions opposing a private company’s entry into the state’s power distribution sector. Consequently, around 10 lakh consumers have been impacted by the protest, while Gurugram saw more than 3,000 power-related complaints within the first 12 hours of the disruption.
Why Are Haryana Electricity Employees on Strike?
The primary trigger is an October 19 order by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), which gave Eleven Power Private Limited a 25-year parallel electricity distribution licence for Gurugram and Nuh.
The licence would allow the company to establish its own distribution network and compete with Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN), the present govt distributor.
Employee unions discourage the decision, stating that the parallel licensing could trigger massive privatisation, endanger job security and impact affordable electricity for households and farmers. They have urged cancellation of the licence and a clear policy against parallel distribution arrangements.
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Which Areas in Haryana, Delhi-NCR Are Affected by Electricity Employees Protest?
Gurugram: Several residential areas have reported prolonged electricity, water and wifi outages, including Sectors 5, 7, 9A, 10A and 52, Palam Vihar, Daulatabad and parts of Old Gurgaon.
Industrial areas, including Sectors 37, Kadipur and Basai, have also witnessed disruptions, leaving machinery idle and impacting manufacturing schedules.
Faridabad: Residents of New Industrial Township (NIT)-2 reportedly blocked a road after the disturbances continued to around 13 hours. This impacted household water supplies, prompting protests and police intervention.
Nuh: Areas including Punhana, Nagina and Firozpur Jhirka saw power disruptions.
Other districts: Outages have also occurred in Rewari, Sonipat, Jhajjar, Karnal and Ambala.
What Is the Government’s Response to Haryana’s Electricity Employees Protest?
Haryana Energy Minister Anil Vij has called on several protestors to end the strike, arguing that the government opposes the licensing move. The state government has declared plans to challenge the HERC order before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and demand a stay.
However, talks with employee leaders have yet to resolve the contention.
Haryana Electricity Employees Warn Of Extending Strike
Meanwhile, ihe protesting employees have cautioned that their agitation could aggravate if the government fails to resolve their demands and withdraw the order to grant the private distribution licence.
The Haryana Electricity Employees and Engineers Joint Struggle Front is likely to decide its future move on October 24, the final day of the three-day strike.
Is the Haryana Electricity Employees Protest Largest and Longest in History of the State?
The ongoing October 2026 agitation is regarded as the largest power sector strike in Haryana's history.
Earlier, Haryana has seen larger strikes across other government sectors, however, within the electricity and power sector especially, this 3-day action is massive in scale.
Previously, the 2018 Haryana Roadways Strike with over 19,000 to 20,000 Haryana Roadways employees is recorded the state’s longestand largest protest so far with over a historic strike lasting 18 days against the privatization and kilometer-scheme of state buses.