Unscheduled Power Cuts Plunge Srinagar into Darkness Amid Scorching Heat
Even Metered Areas Face Long Outages, Residents Cry Foul
Faizabad Colony Locals Say ‘We Can’t Sleep, Can’t Stay Indoors in This Heat’
Power Crisis Worsens Public Suffering in City Without Prior Notice or Justification
KPDCL Silent as Complaints Pour In from Multiple City Localities
Srinagar, June 20, KNT: As temperatures soar across Kashmir, residents of Srinagar are battling not just the summer heat, but the added distress of frequent and unannounced power cuts, even in metered areas that were promised round-the-clock electricity. Several localities have reported prolonged outages, leaving thousands to suffer in stifling conditions without any respite.
From downtown pockets to upscale neighbourhoods, complaints of erratic power supply have grown louder, but none perhaps more desperate than those coming from Faizabad Colony in Naik Bagh, where residents say they are facing hours-long power cuts without any schedule or explanation.
“It’s impossible to sleep at night or even stay indoors during the day,” said a frustrated Irshad Ahmad, a resident of the colony. “We pay our bills, we are in a metered area, yet we are being treated like we don’t matter.”
Residents, particularly the elderly, children, and patients, are bearing the brunt of this growing crisis. Locals described scenes of families forced to sit outdoors late into the night to escape the oppressive indoor heat. “It’s like being held hostage in our own homes,” said another local, adding that the fans stop working just when they are needed the most.
Adding to their frustration is the complete absence of communication from the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL). No prior notice, no explanation, no acknowledgment of the hardship being faced. This breakdown of basic public utility has triggered widespread anger among city dwellers.
“Where is the governance? We are being made to suffer despite being metered and regular payers,” questioned a resident of Chanapora, where similar power outages were also reported.
While authorities in the past have blamed load mismanagement or transformer overloads, there has been no official statement this time, leaving residents to rely on rumours and guesswork.
The power cuts come at a time when day temperatures in Srinagar have been hovering above 30°C, making even basic indoor living uncomfortable, especially for households without backup power systems.
The news agency Kashmir News Trust tried to reach out to KPDCL officials for a comment, but no response was received at the time of filing this report. [KNT]
