Power availability to mark substantial improvement in Kishtwar district: Official

Jammu, Feb 16 (PTI) Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district is set to witness significant improvement in power availability following the successful charging of 132KV Ramban-Khellani-Kishtwar transmission line and the concurrent availability of an additional 10-12 MW through 132-KV Dul Hasti line.

The Urban areas are set to receive more than 20 hours of power supply, while the rural areas will benefit with 18 hours of supply, Deputy Commissioner, Kishtwar Devansh Yadav has said.

He said the twin districts of Doda and Kishtwar had been relying on the 132KV DPS line constructed in 1987 for power supply.

Initiated in 2007, the construction of the 132KV Double-Circuit Ramban-Khellani-Kishtwar line faced various challenges, leading to delays and non-commissioning.

However, with persistent efforts and budgetary support from the administration, the line was successfully made functional up to Khellani on January 31, after a hiatus of over 17 years, the deputy commissioner said.

He said it was followed by the successful charging of the 132KV Ramban-Khellani-Kishtwar transmission line up to Khellani and the concurrent availability of an additional 10-12MW to the district through the 132KV Dul Hasti line.

“This significant development promises substantial improvements in power supply for the residents of Kishtwar district. Urban areas are set to receive more than 20 hours of power supply, while rural areas will benefit from 18 hours, a remarkable increase from the previous allocation of 33MW to a total of 45MW for the district,” Yadav said.

The Deputy Commissioner expressed gratitude for the collaborative efforts of Power Grid Corporation of India (PGCIL) and Jammu and Kashmir Power Transmission corporation Limited (JKPTCL), emphasizing that this achievement marks a crucial milestone in meeting the energy needs of the region.

The completion of a long pending power transmission project is in line with emphasis laid by Lt Governor to provide quality power supply to remotest areas, the deputy commissioner said.