As the government has partially lifted the COVID19 lockdown, Power Development department has resumed work on several development projects.
A senior official said that work on several projects at over 200 locations was halted in April owing to the lockdown. “We have now resumed work at 165 locations across Kashmir under different centrally sponsored schemes,” said the official.
Chief Engineer, Projects Javaid Yousuf Dar said the department has been able to resume over 70 percent of the work. He said most of these projects will be completed by October end.
“The development work that our wing is looking after is mostly related to enhancing power distribution system across Kashmir,” said Dar.
These development works include project under centrally sponsored schemes like RAPDRP, IPDS, PMDP and DDUGJY. Most of the projects under these schemes are related to augmentation and creation of new receiving stations, installation of transformers and laying down new cabling network to enhance power distribution infrastructure across the Valley, Dar said.
“We have resumed the work with prior permission from the district administrations concerned,” said Dar.
He, however said around 45 locations were the work was halted fall under COVID19 red zones where the work was yet to be started.
Another official said over 1,200 labourers have been hired to complete the work. He said most of the work force hired was local.
Managing Director, Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Aijaz Asad said finishing the ongoing projects on time would help improve power scenario in Kashmir.
“Keeping in view the importance of projects, we tried to keep the work going at certain places after permission by authorities, but by April the work was completely halted due to COVID lockdown. We are doing our best to catch up so that work will be finished in time,” said Asad.
Several works under different centrally sponsored schemes have taken a hit over the past two years owing to various reasons.
In 2019, work on many projects was halted due to the lockdown post August 5 when the government of India abrogated Article 370. Later, the work was suspended in both power distribution and transmission wings due to early snowfall.