Ganderbal, Oct 29: Ganderbal, the home constituency of Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, is grappling with prolonged and unscheduled power cuts, with residents reporting outages lasting eight to 10 hours daily despite the district hosting three hydropower projects with a combined installed capacity of 142 megawatts (MW).
With winter approaching, residents across Ganderbal, Lar, Wayil, Kangan, Gund and other areas have expressed concern over the deteriorating power supply, alleging that unscheduled curtailments have added to their hardships.
The district hosts the 15-MW Old Ganderbal Hydel Power Project, the 22-MW Upper Sindh Hydel Power Project-I at Sumbal and the 105-MW Upper Sindh Hydel Power Project-II at Kangan. However, the three projects are currently generating only 26 MW collectively.
Official sources told Greater Kashmir that the decline in generation was primarily due to reduced water discharge. The Old Ganderbal project is generating no power, while USHP-I at Sumbal is producing 6 MW against its installed capacity of 22 MW, with one unit undergoing an overhaul. USHP-II at Kangan is generating 20 MW against its installed capacity of 105 MW.
Residents said the situation had compounded their difficulties, questioning the authorities’ failure to ensure a reliable electricity supply.
“It is shocking that instead of ensuring regular power supply, the Power Development Department is resorting to extended and unscheduled power cuts,” said Showket Ahmed, a resident of Duderhama.
Senior PDP leader and social activist Qaisar Sultan also questioned the authorities’ accountability, saying prolonged outages continued even after scheduled shutdowns.
Residents said repeated power cuts during morning and evening hours were affecting students’ studies and disrupting daily life. They alleged that electricity was being curtailed beyond the announced schedule.
Mohammad Altaf, a shopkeeper from Kangan, said residents were struggling despite living close to a hydropower project.
“We live right in the shadow of the Kangan powerhouse, yet our lamps flicker out every evening. It is a cruel irony to generate power for the grid while studying under candle flame,” he said.
Residents also reported adverse effects on small businesses, industrial units and healthcare facilities.
Meanwhile, officials of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) attributed the curtailments to the widening gap between electricity demand and available supply across the Valley.
An official said load-shedding and grid curtailments were being implemented to prevent overloading at key receiving stations during peak demand hours.
Residents have urged the authorities to adhere to the announced curtailment schedule and ensure a reliable power supply as winter demand increases.
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