SRINAGAR: After being on toes for nearly two weeks, Power Development Department (PDD) has fully restored major power infrastructure in the Valley which got damaged in November 7 snow.
On Sunday, electricity was restored to vast network of villages falling in the jurisdiction of Magam and Pattan grids. The grid connectively between Magam and Pattan was snapped after a major untimely snow entirely damaged the power infrastructure.
It was the last grid to be restored in the Valley, according to PDD engineer Wasim-ul-Hassan who was part of the department’s restoration team. It was set up in the wake of massive damages suffered by power infrastructure in the region due to snow.
Hassan explained that Pattan-Magam line was the most challenging task as the department had to install new grid connectivity as the existing one had no way for repair.
The department, he said, for the first time on its own adopted Canadian emergency restoration system, to restore power to households in less possible time.
He said engineers created an alternative path for the supply because the existing one could not have been put to work immediately.
In record time of four days, he said, the department got it done.
It is for the first time in the history of PDD that it has operationalised emergency system through its own engineers, against the old practise of hiring outside companies to do the same work.
Else, the work would cost the department time and money, he said.
According to Hassan, of 31 power grids in the Valley, 28 were damaged, including five with complete damages.
“Now the total power load is 1250 Megawatt with a deficit of only 50 Megawatt,” he said. This, according to him, means all the places have received power supply, barring a few, which are due to small glitches and may be cleared soon.
The snowfall disrupted the entire power infrastructure and the entire power load was 50 Megawatts with only three grids including Chashmashahi and two in Pampore working.

Junaid Nabi Bazaz