Governance

Snowfall plunges Kashmir into darkness, pilgrims stranded at Delhi Airport as flights canceled, fares skyrocket

Srinagar: As fresh snowfall draped Valley in white, the people from most of the areas complained of no electricity supply since this morning, saying that they are reeling under darkness either from last evening or this morning.

People from different districts of Kashmir said that no electricity was supplied to them from past several hours, thus causing immense hardships to them.

They said the claims of authorities regarding taking all the measures to tackle any situation in the backdrop of fresh snowfall that was predicted by local Meteorological department has prove3d hoax on the ground as the people are being forced to face hardships in absence of basic facilities.

Reports said that at least three transmission towers that came up recently in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district suffered damage due to the fresh snowfall.

Chief Engineer PDD, Hashmat Qazi said that against 1200 Mega Watts, the department is currently supplying 800 MWs, saying that barring three district areas including Budgam, Shopian and Kulgam, at least 80 percent of the electricity has been restored across Kashmir.

He added that the work for the restoration of electricity is going on. “The work is going on and it is expected that the electricity will be fully restored soon,” he said.

The snowfall has also affected air and surface transport. With cancellation of flights due to snowfall, hundreds of Kashmiri pilgrims who returned from Umrah from Saudi Arab are stranded at the IGI Airport in New Delhi.

Mohammad Amin Wani, one of the stranded Umrah pilgrim, said over phone that they arrived by Air India Flight No. 992 at IGI Airport today morning at 6.

“Old aged persons, children and women are among the stranded pilgrims since 6 am at Gate no 29A, 29B, 30A and 30B. Air India has not provided us any refreshment since morning,” he said, adding the authorities should intervene to provide accommodation and refreshment to the stranded passengers.

 

(With inputs from KNS)

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