Kashmir Valley hoteliers voice concern as power crises deepens

Srinagar, April 27

The announcement by the Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL) about limited power availability and electricity shortage during the tourist season has raised concerns among stakeholders in the tourism sector, especially houseboat owners and hoteliers.

The power crisis, ongoing since November, has reached alarming levels, with residents experiencing hours-long power outages. The protests were also seen in the Old City against the power crises. The resident say they have been suffering for the past eight months. They said the government has increased the power tariff and at the same time the electricity was not provided.

The business community has also expressed concerns, citing significant losses due to the power shortages. Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, president of the Kashmir Houseboat Association, said increased power cuts was affecting their ability to provide good services to tourists staying at the houseboats.

“If the electricity situation continues, it will leave a negative impression on visitors and undermine efforts to promote tourism by the government and stakeholders,” he added.

Tariq Ghani, secretary general of the J&K Hoteliers Club, said the hoteliers had to use generators which are costly. “The power cuts,” he said, “are stretching our resources.”

“If our room tariff is Rs 5,000, we’re spending almost the same amount just to keep the room lit up. When tariffs increase, it becomes even more challenging for us. How can we run our business with limited electricity?” he said.

Ghani said there was a need to ensure at least 20 hours of power availability for the hotel industry to operate smoothly.

Earlier this week, KPDCL mentioned limited power availability and an unavoidable increase in power cuts in the Valley. In a post on X, KPDCL stated, “Due to limited power availability, there has been an unavoidable increase in power cuts. These restrictions will be eased once power availability improves.” The corporation appealed to consumers to avoid exceeding sanctioned loads and unauthorised connections, emphasising responsible power usage.