KPDCL collects Rs 8 cr pending arrears from consumers in 1 day

Says 1082 consumers disconnected for non-payment of bills

Srinagar, Nov 23 (KNO): Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) has further intensified its inspection drives across all district of Kashmir division to check incidents of hooking and power theft, which are primarily responsible for power outages and distress cuts.

As many as 566 drives were conducted across all 19 Electric Divisions and a penalty of Rs 7.84 lakh was imposed on those found hooking wires on bare conductor and bypassing the meters. Meanwhile, 64 Domestic Transformers (DTs) were also reported damaged on Wednesday due to overloading.

Giving details about the inspections conducted, a KPDCL spokesperson today stated that 183 drives were conducted in Circle II Srinagar, 60 in Circle I Srinagar, 123 in Circle Ganderbal, 71 in Circle Pulwama, 35 in Circle Bijbehara and 94 in Circle Sopore.

The spokesperson further stated that 1082 domestic, commercial and industrial connections were also disconnected for non-payment of energy dues for more than three months. This includes 371 domestic, 549 commercial and 157 industrial consumers.

Exhorting consumers to treat DTs as their own assets, the KPDCL spokesman said 64 DTs were reported damaged across all Electric Divisions. “While those fully damaged are being transported to Central Workshop at Pampore, the rest are being repaired at divisional-level workshops,” he said, adding that KPDCL is committed to replace the damaged transformers within the stipulated timelines.

KPDCL has also urged all domestic, commercial and industrial consumers to pay their long-pending energy dues or face disconnection. “The Corporation is actively pursuing recovery of pending arrears and Rs 8.00 crore were collected on Wednesday alone from the consumers,” he said, adding that KPDCL will make all out efforts to achieve the target of revenue realization fixed by the government—(KNO)

USBRL rail project almost completed: CPRO Northern Railways

Train to arrive Kashmir by early next year: Officials; Stations being modified for passengers: CAM Northern Railways

Umaisar Gull Ganie

Srinagar, Nov 23 (KNO): To connect Kashmir valley with the rest of the country, the much-awaited Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) project is almost completed, top railway official said on Thursday.

Talking to the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Chief Public Relations Officer (CPRO) Northern Railway, Deepak Kumar said the work on Udhampur-Srinagar-Baramulla Railway Line (USBRL) project is almost completed.

“95 to 96% of the work on the 111-km-long Katra-Banihal rail line has been completed, with only a small portion of work remaining,” he said.

He said, “Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw has already announced that Udhampur-Banihal track, connecting Jammu with Srinagar, will be completed by December this year, or early next year.”

Meanwhile, another top official, wishing not to be named, told KNO that the work on the topographically challenging 111 km section between Katra and Banihal is ongoing.

He said once completed, the direct train service will directly run from Jammu and other parts of the country.

The project will probably take a month or two, which means train service is likely to start from January or February, he said.

“The USBRL project comprises 38 tunnels covering 119 km, with T-49 being the longest at 12.75 km, making it the country’s lengthiest transportation tunnel. Additionally, 927 bridges, the iconic 359-meter-high Chenab Bridge and only cable-stayed rail bridge in the country were constructed across the steep slope of Anji Khad River,” he said.

Chief Area Manager, (CAM) Kashmir, Northern Railways Sakib Yousuf said they are expecting the trains to run very soon from all parts of the country towards Kashmir valley as most of the work on USBRL project almost is completed.

To facilitate the passengers from outside the state, he said, several works are being executed in Kashmir valley and some works are in pipeline.

“Budgam station is an Amit station, for passengers waiting halls and others facilities are being developed there, similarly in Anantnag station, work for goods terminal (goods shed) is currently going on,” he added—(KNO)

BJP government created difficulties for Kashmiris, says Mehbooba

Anantnag, Nov 23 (KNO): Peoples Democratic Party president and former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti on Thursday said that the ruling BJP led government has made life of people in Kashmir very difficult in the name of militancy.

She said arrests are being made on a daily basis, monitoring and surveillance continues while none is allowed to talk.

Talking to reporters, as per news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), after addressing party workers in Larnoo Kokernag, she questioned the government’s claim of curbing militancy in the face of the killing of four soldiers in Rajouri.

Reacting to reports that Jamaat-e-Islami was behind the creation of PDP, Mehboba said that Jamaat-e-Islami has suffered a lot and it was doing great welfare work by running schools with low fee and quality education.

“When Mufti Muhammad Sayeed became CM for the first time, he worked for the welfare of people affiliated with Jamaat and others. They had left their homes due to various issues so that they can live their life with respect,” She said. “I am very much surprised why A teams and B teams have been making an issue of Jamaat-e-Islami.”

On the termination of government employees, the former chief minister said that the government has terminated more people than giving jobs to people since 2019.

“The government is acting as a court, agent and judge itself. It is a collective punishment for Kashmiri people as they think Kashmiris are their enemies,” she added.

Replying to a question on ban on Halal certified products in Uttar Pradesh, Mehbooba said that BJP has nothing to show as they failed to create job opportunities and work for the welfare of people—(KNO)