"The restoration of the 33KV Bandipora-Gurez line, completed up to Dawar, comes after severe weather conditions affected electricity supply through the grid in the area," it said.

"During the disruption period, Gurez received electricity through diesel generators."

Despite facing significant challenges due to heavy snowfall and adverse weather conditions, a team of 20 personnel from KPDCL and STD Ganderbal/Bandipora undertook the task of retrieving the submerged line, buried under approximately 10 feet of snow at Razdan, and successfully re-erected and replaced 15 damaged HT poles in the tough stretch from Zadkhusi to Koragbal.

"This concerted effort led to the swift restoration of grid-connected electricity to Gurez," the statement said.

The successful restoration within the stipulated timeline marks a significant milestone, considering the challenging terrain that the transmission line traverses through, including the Razdan Pass, situated at an altitude of 12,672 feet above sea level, and the treacherous Zadkhusi stretch on the Bandipora-Gurez Road.

"The grid-connected electricity to Gurez has fulfilled a long-awaited demand of the local population and provides significant relief to residents, hoteliers, restaurants, etc. It shall go a long way to further boost tourism-related activities in the border region, where electricity was previously provided through diesel generators with limited load capacity for only 5-7 hours during the night," the statement added.