SRINAGAR: The five-inch snowfall created such a crisis that the entire power development department was on tenterhooks for the last 24 hours. Officials said they have been able to restore power to most of Srinagar and some towns as well. South Kashmir will take at least two more days.

A group of PDD employees with their machinery restoring electricity in Srinagar outskirts November 4, 2018, Sunday. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur

“We had problems on three fronts,” one PDD engineer told Kashmir Life. “There were crippling faults in the 132-kV lines that feed the Grids in Bemina, Wanganpora, Cheshma Shahi and Pampore.” The second set of faults was detected in the 33-kV lines that take off from the grids. “Once the two systems were charged, we gave attention to the distribution network.”

The engineer said that the major crisis in managing power distribution in Srinagar is the crisis of power corridor. “Every time, there is an electric pole, you have trees and this snow was so wet that we had 90 tree falls on the Boulevard road,” one engineer said. “The planners should give some attention to this crisis that is perpetual.”

Hashmat Yousuf, Chief Engineer Power Development Department said they have restored power supply to Srinagar – barring a patch of Boulevard, and almost entire north Kashmir to the tune of 90 per cent. “Right now, we have crossed a load of 1000 MW which is only 200 MW less than the average consumption in Kashmir,” Hashmat said. “Consumption in Srinagar is right now consuming more than 400 MW.”

The Chief Engineer said the exercise was a literal sort of a war. “In Srinagar alone, we had 2000 tree falls and in Kashmir, we had 7000 people on the ground to ensure the restoration of the network,” Hashmat said, insisting all the woodcutters across Kashmir spent the day working with the PDD. “Weather had an element of surprise but the timing was against us, the interruptions came during the night. But we have evolved the mechanism and we did it in a day.”

However, south Kashmir will have to wait. “We have crippling faults in four towards at Shopian, Mattan, Wanpoh and Litter and this has led to the crisis for the connecting grids,” Hashmat said. “There is no problem in the importing lines but the problem is at grid level. Some areas in south Kashmir have started getting power but the problems shall remain for the next two to three days.”

Advisor Directions

Earlier, B B Vyas, an adviser to the governor, directed the Divisional Administration Kashmir to ensure that people do not face any inconvenience in view of the untimely snowfall. He also directed the Commissioner PDD to ensure restoration of electricity on war footing basis as has been directed by the Governor. The Advisor said that every effort should be made to restore electricity in all affected areas. He said that Government is closely watching the situation and every possible help will be provided to all the departments so that the restoration work is done smoothly and in an expedited manner.

Consequently upon the directions from Governor and Chief Secretary the Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Baseer Ahmad Khan conducted extensive city tour along with Deputy Commissioner Srinagar and senior officers of the Divisional Administration, to inspect the restoration work of essential supplies, which were disturbed due to the unprecedented snowfall across the valley on Saturday.

The Divisional Commissioner visited power control room at Power Grid Station Bemina and personally inspected the restoration of electricity supplies there.

The visiting dignitary was informed that electricity supply to North Kashmir was mostly charged at 10 am today and by evening, electricity supply will be restored at all parts of the valley except some areas of South Kashmir districts where four towers have fallen.

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) had already deployed their men and machinery on the spot for the restoration work so that electricity supply will be restored as soon as possible.

The Divisional Commissioner visited Boulevard road, Gupkar road and other areas across the city where the restoration works for electricity are going on.

He directed Chief Engineer PDD to restore electricity supply across the valley by today positively. And expedite the restoration work of tower erection at South Kashmir so that electricity is restored there as soon as possible.

Engineers of Mechanical Engineering Department informed the visiting dignitary that the department had pressed their men and 131 snow clearance machines besides snow cutters to remove snow from the roads. He directed them to work with utmost dedication and synergy to meet any exigency during winters.

Canadian Emergency System

Commissioner Secretary PDD, Hridesh Kumar briefed the media persons that the State Government has procured latest emergency system from Canada for quick Power Restoration work in the Valley.

“Due to the recent and unprecedented snowfall, four HT towers have fallen down in Lessar, Wanpoh, Shopian and Kulgam. Power Development Department (PDD) has already deployed their men and machinery with Canadian Emergency System at the spots for the quick restoration work so that electricity supply will be restored as soon as possible. Power restoration in rest of the valley is almost complete”, he informed.

Get charged: The scene in Srinagar homes when the power supply was restored.

He further said that due to unprecedented snowfall, green trees had fallen on HT lines, which had disrupted power supplies. As has been the practice, PDD has done pruning and cutting of tree branches, along with the power HT Lines, so that any untoward incident will be averted.

He said that the department will go a step further and ensure the problem is taken care of beforehand. “In future, PDD will take serious preventive measures. From tomorrow PDD staff will inspect all transmission lines regularly to tap lacunas so that people do not face any kind of problem in winters,” he further informed the media.

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