Integrated plan to electrify far flung areas of AJK

An integrated plan has been chalked out for the electrification of far flung and remote areas of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) including various parts of Mirpur division, official sources said.
The sources told APP here on Friday that plan is being executed under the phased programme and all the ten percent remaining areas of Mirpur, Bhimbher and Kotli districts of this division will be electrified by the end of next year.
The sources continued that under the plan two 132KV-grid stations at the cost of about Rs 130 million each have so far been installed in Dadayal sub-division of Mirpur District and Khuiratta in Kotli district. Both of the grid stations would not only help in to electrify more and remaining rural and far flung areas of Dadayal sub-division and Khuiratta but would also help in to ensure the smooth and stable power supply to the existing and upcoming power consumers.
Over 90 percent of the areas of Mirpur and Bhimbher districts have so far been electrified. The sources said that priorities have been fixed to improve the power supply system in this division side by side other parts of Azad Kashmir in view of the mounting load on the lines. About 450 transformers of different strength have been added in the plan to replace the old ones who have or going to complete their age. Special attention is being given to overcome the problem of low voltage to ensure the smooth and uninterrupted supply of electricity to the consumers.
Under an integrated plan for electrification of the remote areas, the department has electrified the far flung villages of Kadiala, Rahel and Haripur, close to the Line of Control in Samani sub-division of Bhimbher district. Five more 132-KV grid stations are proposed to be installed in various parts of Mirpur districts under the gigantic Mangla Dam raising project.
They said that a liaison would be managed with Wapda to ensure the modern network for supply of electricity to the consumers in the proposed New Mirpur city. The sources revealed that the electricity billing system is also being computerised in entire Azad Jammu Kashmir in the near future. This would help in to ensure the correct billing of the consumed power besides removing the problems in the manual system.
The electricity department is providing electricity to the consumers in Azad Jammu Kashmir at the same tariff as being enforced in Pakistan. The sources said that the number of power consumers in Mirpur city has reached to over 55,000 at present. The department has fixed the priorities to resolve the problems of the consumers.