Kupwara : In order to assess the progress of works under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) in the Lolab Constituency (Kupwara Package), a review meeting was convened Friday at the Corporate Headquarters of Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), here.
The meeting was chaired by Qaiser Jamshaid Lone, Member J&K Legislative Assembly (Lolab Constituency).
Managing Director KPDCL, Mahmood Ahmad Shah was also present in the meeting.
Among others, Superintending Engineer, Project Circle South, Er. M Hussain; Superintending Engineer, O&M Circle Sopore, Er. Dalbir Singh; Executive Engineer, ED Kupwara, Er. Mohammad Amin Shah; representative, PIA – NTPC and authorized representative, M/s Vikran Engineering & Exim Pvt. Ltd. attended the meeting.
The deliberations were aimed at undertaking a comprehensive appraisal of the physical and financial status of various sanctioned works being executed under the centrally sponsored RDSS in the Lolab region.
At the outset, MLA emphasized the instrumental role played by elected representatives in furthering infrastructure development, particularly in the power sector.
A consolidated overview of the project components, execution timelines, and bottlenecks was presented to the chair.
MLA, while acknowledging the ongoing efforts, underscored the need for immediate prioritization of critical works and sought strict adherence to stipulated timelines.
The Turnkey Contractor assured timely compliance and reaffirmed its commitment to expedite execution as per the mutually agreed milestones.
MLA further impressed upon the corporation the imperative of initiating requisite measures to ensure the provisioning of enhanced and uninterrupted power supply to the residents of the area. In this regard, he underscored the critical need for maintaining an adequate buffer stock of Distribution Transformers (DTs) across multiple capacities along with sufficient reserves of transformer oil, to facilitate timely response in the event of any emergent contingencies or unforeseen transformer outages.
Moreover, he laid particular emphasis on the augmentation of the existing Receiving Station infrastructure, including the revamping of the ageing 33kV Old Kupwara line, which continues to be a constraint on load-bearing capacity.
He also reiterated the strategic importance of expediting the establishment of the proposed Grid Station at Waheedpora, Sopore, which is envisioned to significantly bolster the transmission infrastructure and address the long-standing reliability and load management issues across the region.
To address field-level challenges, particularly with respect to Right of Way (RoW) constraints and local impediments, it was resolved that a joint site inspection involving the MLA, KPDCL officials, PIA representatives, and TKC shall be conducted on 1st July 2025 at Lolab. This coordinated exercise is intended to fast-track execution through proactive site-level resolution and stakeholder collaboration.
In a significant development, the meeting also resolved to launch a Solar Rooftop (SRT) Promotion and Registration Campaign under the PM–Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojna. The campaign shall be ceremonially flagged-off with the inaugural registration for installation of rooftop solar plants. This pioneering gesture is envisioned to stimulate mass awareness and adoption of decentralized clean energy solutions among domestic consumers in the region.
