Prolonged power shutdown cripples life in Baramulla villages

Mansoor Peer
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25 Jan 2026

Baramulla, Jan 25: People across several Baramulla and Kandi areas have been reeling under complete darkness since Thursday evening, triggering widespread resentment and severe hardship among residents. Dozens of villages in Kandi Baramulla, especially in the upper belt, have been without electricity after gusty winds snapped power supply lines across the area. Amid severe cold, the Power Development Department (PDD) has failed to restore electricity till Sunday evening, residents alleged. Manzoor Ahmed, a resident of Kalantra village, said the prolonged outage has made life miserable for people, especially in harsh winter conditions following the heavy snowfall. “We are suffering badly. Electricity bills arrive on time, but power is disconnected for days. What is the purpose of paying monthly bills when there is no electricity?” he questioned. The Kandi belt villages, including Kalantra, Kachwamuqam, Bandipayeen, Danmoo, and other adjoining villages, remained without power for the fourth consecutive day, leaving residents to fend for themselves in freezing temperatures. Residents said the situation has worsened in recent days, particularly for families who have lost loved ones. “Two people have died recently in this belt, and their families are facing immense hardship without electricity. Yet, the department has shown no urgency in restoring supply,” locals said. Adding to the anger is the installation of smart meters without upgrading basic infrastructure. Residents of Kalantra alleged that the department installed smart meters without installing proper electric poles and black wiring. “We had requested the department to defer the installation of smart meters until March, but they went ahead without taking people into confidence,” residents said. The issue was recently raised before MLA Wagoora–Kreeri, Irfan Hafeez Lone, during a visit where residents demanded that electricity through smart meters should be provided only after proper electric poles and wiring infrastructure are put in place. “Most people here barely manage their daily chores and are dependent on agriculture, which is the mainstay of our economy. Without electricity, everything comes to a standstill,” a resident said. Residents of Yadipora Hyderbeigh and several villages from Pattan also complained that the PDD has failed to restore electricity, leaving people to suffer badly. “I have not been able to work for the past four days. I had to take leave from my office as there is no power,” said Mushtaq Ahmad, who works in an online-based company. The power outage has also caused inconveniences to patients, students, and the elderly. Locals have urged the authorities to immediately restore electricity and address the long-pending infrastructure gaps to prevent such crises in the future. However, for the past two days, the Executive Engineer (XEN) Baramulla has been assuring that power supply would be restored, but till late Sunday evening, electricity remained snapped in these areas. “The 33 KV line has been restored, and we are working on restoring the 11 KV lines. There were some fault issues, and we expect restoration at the earliest,” he said.