Pesky power cuts hit Rawalpora, Rangreth Industrial Estate

Srinagar, Apr 4: Prolonged and unscheduled power cuts across Sanat Nagar, Rawalpora, and Industrial Estate Rangreth have sparked sharp reactions from industrialists and residents alike, with many reporting serious disruption to business operations and daily life.

General Secretary of the Association of Industrialists Rangreth, Nusrullah Jan, said the situation has become unbearable over the past three days.

“For the last three days, we have been witnessing frequent and unscheduled power cuts. The electricity supply has become highly erratic, with outages lasting for long durations without any prior notice. Industrial units are suffering badly—our production cycles are disrupted, machines remain idle, and labour is left unutilised. This is causing heavy financial losses on a daily basis. If the situation continues, it will severely impact the sustainability of small and medium industries operating in Rangreth,” he said.

He added that repeated fluctuations are also damaging sensitive machinery.

“It is not just about outages—even voltage fluctuations are damaging our equipment. We are spending more on repairs than on production. This defeats the very idea of ease of doing business,” he added.

Residents from Pine Enclave, Rawalpora, also expressed frustration over the erratic supply. “There is absolutely no schedule being followed. Power cuts occur multiple times during the day and even late at night. Sometimes electricity remains off for hours, making it difficult to manage household chores, children’s studies, and even the drinking water supply. We are paying regular bills but not getting basic services,” a resident said.

Another resident added: “Inverters and backup systems are failing due to long outages. The department must at least inform people in advance so that we can prepare.”

From Sanat Nagar, locals echoed similar concerns, saying the issue has persisted without any improvement.

Officials from the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) said the disruption was due to a technical fault. A senior official stated:

“There was a technical issue in the system, which led to these disruptions. Our teams are working on it, and efforts are being made to restore normal power supply as soon as possible.”

Chief Engineer, KPDCL Distribution, Nisar Ahmad Lone, assured that the matter would be addressed on priority.

“I will personally look into the matter and ensure that the issue is resolved at the earliest. Necessary directions will be issued to the concerned field staff,” he said.

Meanwhile, residents and industrialists have urged authorities to take immediate corrective measures, warning that continued outages could further disrupt livelihoods and economic activity in these key areas of Srinagar.