Rehan Qayoom Mir
Srinagar, Feb 24: Residents of Faizabad Colony, Naik Bagh and Stadium Colony in Natipora area of Srinagar have expressed deep anger over prolonged and unscheduled power outages in their area.
They alleged that electricity remains snapped for over seven to nine hours daily, severely affecting routine life, particularly during the holy month of Ramadan.
Mohammad Amin Mugloo, a resident of Faizabad Colony, said that the area faces frequent shutdowns both in the morning and at night.
“Sometimes there is a shutdown from 7 am to 9 am, and at times from 8 pm to 12 midnight. On several occasions, power is also snapped during Sehri and Iftar hours, causing immense inconvenience to families,” Mugloo said.
Residents said the erratic power supply has disrupted daily activities, business operations and students’ study schedules. They added that the situation worsens during Ramadan when uninterrupted electricity is essential for meal preparations and prayers.
“Electricity remains cut for long hours, sometimes stretching up to nine hours a day. Small business owners and students are the worst affected. We fail to understand why our area is facing such prolonged outages despite repeated complaints,” a resident of Stadium Colony said.
Meanwhile, other residents from Stadium Colony in Natipora also echoed similar concerns, stating that despite repeated representations to the concerned department, the issue remains unresolved.
The residents have appealed to the Power Development Department (PDD) to streamline the electricity schedule and ensure that at least Sehri and Iftar hours remain free from outages.
They warned that if the problem persists, they may be forced to stage peaceful protests to press for their demands.
When contacted, the Assistant Executive Engineer of the Chanapora Division of the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) was not immediately available for comment and did not respond to repeated calls.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah earlier chaired a high-level meeting to review arrangements for the holy month of Ramadan and directed the Power Development Department to ensure adequate planning of electricity supply during the month, especially during Sehri and Iftar hours. Officials were asked to designate nodal officers to closely monitor the situation.
