Unscheduled power cuts pester people in Srinagar areas

Srinagar, Jul 6: Amid heat wave, residents of several areas of the summer capital have resented unscheduled power cuts.

With temperatures soaring above 37 degrees Celsius, the highest recorded in nearly seven decades, the outages are adding to the woes of people.

From the bustling city centre to the outskirts of Hazratbal, residents decried that the Power Development Department (PDD) has failed to ensure uninterrupted power in these extreme weather conditions.

"Fans and coolers are of no use when the electricity is off for hours together. It feels like we are locked inside an oven, especially during peak afternoon hours," said Imtiyaz Ahmad, a resident of Downtown.

They said amid this sweltering heat, maintenance-related shutdowns are adding “insult to injury.” People across various neighbourhoods, including the Hazratbal outskirts, reported half to full-day power shutdowns, citing official maintenance works.

"It is illogical to carry out scheduled maintenance on days when the temperature reaches 37 degrees Celsius. Our area had no electricity from morning till late afternoon on Saturday, and people were gasping for breath inside their homes," said Faisal Ahmad, a resident of Burzahama, Hazratbal.

They said the consequences of these outages go far beyond discomfort. In some areas, families with critically ill patients are grappling with the risk of interrupted medical equipment support.

"Even a 30-minute power cut puts my father's life at risk. He is on oxygen support, and a power cut means no oxygen supply. We had to arrange alternatives as we cannot rely on unscheduled power cuts,” said a local from Nishat.

Complaints have been pouring in from across Srinagar's outskirts, Hazratbal, downtown, and other localities, many of which are metered and were promised uninterrupted supply.

When contacted, a senior official from PDD told Greater Kashmir that shutdowns are being kept to a minimum.

"We understand the public concern. Amid this intense heatwave, we are only carrying out maintenance when unavoidable. Most of such work is typically scheduled for cooler months," he said, adding, "We are also making every effort to ensure uninterrupted power during the ongoing Muharram processions."

As the valley braces for more scorching days ahead, the people of Srinagar hope the administration will ensure uninterrupted power supply.