Bandipora, July 18(KNS): Even as the Power Development Department (PDD) continues to advocate smart metering as a step towards improving electricity distribution and consumer services, the ground reality in several parts of Bandipora tells a different story. Instead of witnessing better power management, residents of smart-metered areas say they are enduring some of the worst and most prolonged power cuts in recent memory.

 

Areas fed by the Nowpora–Stadium Colony, Muslimabad, Arin, Watrina and Sheikhpal feeders have emerged as the worst affected, with residents alleging that electricity remains unavailable for hours every day, often far beyond the officially announced curtailment schedule.

 

The growing public anger is not only over the frequent outages but also over what residents describe as a complete absence of accountability within the department. Consumers claim that despite repeated complaints, nobody in the local power setup appears willing to explain the reasons behind the prolonged shutdowns or accept responsibility.

 

Residents allege that the official curtailment schedule has become meaningless, with unscheduled power cuts now becoming the norm rather than the exception. Many say they have stopped relying on the published schedule because electricity disappears without warning and returns only after several hours.

 

"What is the purpose of issuing a curtailment schedule if it is not followed?" asked several residents, questioning the department's planning and execution.

 

Aasif Ahmad, a resident of Nowpora, narrated his experience while trying to seek answers from the department.

 

"I have called almost every officer in PDD Bandipora. One asks me to contact another officer, while the next shifts responsibility to someone else. Everyone points fingers, but nobody owns the problem. As consumers, we don't even know who is accountable for this mess," he said.

 

Residents said the crisis has now become a routine affair, forcing people to adjust their daily lives around unpredictable electricity cuts. During the ongoing summer season, families are spending hours outside their homes due to the unbearable heat, while students, patients, elderly citizens and small businesses continue to suffer.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

 

"In this heat, living without electricity for hours has become normal. Fans stop working, the water supply gets affected, mobile phones remain uncharged, and businesses suffer losses. Yet no one from the department comes forward to explain why this keeps happening," said a resident of Gamroo.

 

Another resident from Sheikhpal questioned the rationale behind smart metering.

 

"We were told smart meters would improve power management. Instead, we are paying our bills on time and still spending hours in darkness. If this is the outcome, people have every right to ask what benefit smart meters have actually brought," he said.

 

Residents further alleged that complaints are either ignored or met with vague responses. According to them, the lack of communication has only added to public frustration, with consumers left to speculate about the cause and duration of the outages.

 

The recurring outages have also raised serious questions over monitoring and supervision within the department. Locals argue that when no official is held answerable, and responsibility is continuously shifted from one office to another, public confidence in the system inevitably erodes.

 

Demanding immediate intervention, residents have urged senior officers of the Power Development Department and the concerned authorities to conduct a transparent review of the power crisis in Bandipora. They have called for strict accountability, identification of the officials responsible for repeated unscheduled outages, and adherence to the notified curtailment schedule.

 

For thousands of consumers across Bandipora, the issue is no longer confined to power cuts alone. It has become a question of administrative responsibility, transparency and public accountability. Residents say they are not demanding uninterrupted electricity beyond the notified schedule; they are demanding a system where commitments are honoured, consumers are informed, and officials are held accountable for failures.(KNS).