Power supply nearly restored in Kashmir Valley

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The Kashmir Valley, which had plunged into darkness on Friday evening after two transmission lines bringing electricity from the northern power grid snapped, was in for some respite on Monday after one of the lines was restored.

"The 400 KV Kishenpur-Wagoora transmission line was restored Sunday evening. Electric supply has been restored in most areas of Srinagar, Ganderbal, Badgam, Baramulla, Kupwara, Anantnag, Kulgam, Shopian, Pulwama and Bandipora towns, except for some local faults in south Kashmir's far-flung areas which are being corrected," said Muhammad Muzaffar Mattoo, chief engineer (electric maintenance) Kashmir.

"We have restored power supply to Gulmarg. We have also restored electricity to the far-flung areas of Tangdhar and Keran. We are in the process of restoring the supply in Pahalgam by today evening," Mattoo informed IANS.

The electric supply in Kashmir has improved from a bare 87 megawatts to over 700 megawatts.

"We are supplying over 700 megawatts of power in the valley and are importing more to take up the availability to 1,000 megawatts. This will restore normal supply throughout the valley today," said Mattoo.

The chief engineer added that the other major power transmission line, the 220 KV Kishenpur-Pampore line, was also being restored.

"The restoration work on the Kishenpur-Pampore line is on. The electric power situation is near normal now. All essential supplies, including those to hospitals, water filtration plants, airports, dewatering stations and the supply position to the consumers, are running on schedule. The worst is already over," the chief engineer said.