Srinagar, Nov 21 (JKNS): A proposal by the Kashmir Power Development Corporation Limited (KPDCL) to impose a 20 per cent surcharge on electricity consumed during peak hours has sparked strong opposition from trade bodies, civil society groups and tourism stakeholders during a public hearing convened by the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission (JERC) in Srinagar.
According to the tariff petition for the financial year 2025–26 as per news agency JKNS, the corporation has sought approval for levying the 20 per cent additional charge on power used between 6 am to 9 am and 5 pm to 10 pm a seven-hour peak-load window.
While the petition does not propose an across-the-board tariff hike, it seeks to extend the surcharge to domestic and non-domestic users, government departments, public lighting, LT and HT water works, and other major categories.
“For seven hours daily, consumers will have to pay 20 per cent higher tariff. The surcharge will apply uniformly. It is aimed at managing load and easing pressure on the distribution network,” an official told JKNS.
The proposal, however, drew immediate and sharp criticism Former Cabinet Minister and Apni Party Senior Vice President Ghulam Hassan Mir has sharply criticised the government for imposing a 20% winter surcharge on electricity bills, calling it a direct betrayal of the promises made to the people.
Mir, in his statement posted on Twitter, wrote:
“So-called people’s govt who had promised free two hundred units of power to every household monthly is now charging 20% surcharge in winter when more power is needed.”
He said that this decision reflects a complete collapse of governance, as the administration had publicly committed to providing 200 units of free electricity per month, yet is now burdening people during the harshest months of winter. “Instead of giving relief, they are penalising the people. This is not public service — this is betrayal,” he said.
Mir added that families across Jammu & Kashmir are already struggling with inflation, unemployment, and rising living costs. The winter surcharge, he noted, further exposes the government’s growing disconnect from ground realities.
He urged the administration to immediately roll back the 20% surcharge, honour its commitment of free electricity, and stop adding unnecessary financial strain on the public. “Governments must ease people’s lives, not make them harder especially in winter,” he said.
During the JERC hearing at the Banquet Hall, where participants argued that Kashmir is already facing one of the harshest power shortages in recent years, marked by long, unscheduled outages and inadequate supply.
Faiz Ahmad Bakshi, Secretary General of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI), opposed the move, calling it “insensitive and ill-timed.” He said consumers are already paying high tariffs without receiving reliable electricity and cannot be penalised during peak hours.
Chairman of the Kashmir Houseboat Owners Association, Manzoor Ahmad Pakhtoon, also objected to the proposal, warning that the tourism sector is already under financial strain. “A 20 per cent surcharge during peak hours will push many operators into deeper distress. At a time when tourism is reviving, this is the last thing the sector needs,” he said.
Civil society speakers questioned the rationale of levying extra charges when consumers have no control over outage schedules. Many argued that imposing a surcharge without ensuring reliable supply was unjustified. “First give uninterrupted power, then talk of extra charges,” one representative said.
JERC officials said all objections raised during the hearing will be examined before a decision is taken on the tariff petition. As Kashmir continues to reel under intensified winter power shortages, the proposed surcharge has become a major point of public resentment, with consumers and stakeholders awaiting the regulator’s final call in the coming weeks. (JKNS)