Kishtwar Grid Project: JPDCL MD Oversees ₹78 Crore Electrification Drive in Marwah and Warwan
KISHTWAR, JULY 17, 2026 — In a major breakthrough for regional infrastructure development, the Managing Director of Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited (JPDCL), Gurpal Singh, led an extensive field evaluation across the rugged Marwah and Warwan valleys to fast-track the integration of these historically isolated zones into the main electrical grid. Funded under the Central Government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS) at an awarded cost of ₹78.16 crore, the comprehensive project aims to completely replace unstable standalone power systems with consistent, high-quality electricity. Accompanied by Chief Engineer (Distribution) Er. Arshad Hussain Reshi, Chief Engineer (Projects) Er. Ravi Kant Kalsotra, and engineering teams from executing partner M/s Pir Panchal Constructions (P) Ltd JV, the administrative entourage inspected critical infrastructure footprints across Kawyard, Dasbal, and Inshan in the Warwan Block, alongside Astan Gam, Qaderna, and Yourdoo in the Marwah Block to audit material logs and field operations.
The dual-phase grid connectivity and rural electrification project involves complex engineering components tailored to withstand the region’s harsh microclimate. To secure structural integration, JPDCL is currently building a 33/11 kV, 2×6.3 MVA receiving station at Marwah and a matching 33/11 kV, 1×6.3 MVA receiving station at Warwan, tied together by a 95-circuit-kilometer network of 33 kV transmission lines mounted on heavy-duty steel tubular poles. To ensure complete last-mile distribution, the domestic phase targets 6,175 left-out households spread across 56 isolated habitations within 22 local villages. This network deployment requires mounting 134 distribution transformers of 63 kVA, 67 distribution transformers of 100 kVA, laying 178.37 kilometers of brand-new 11 kV intermediate lines, and stringing 121.3 kilometers of low-tension aerial bunched cabling (LT ABC) designed to minimize transmission loss and prevent environmental hazards.
Logistical reports presented during the field tour show significant progress despite extreme geographical barriers and restrictive weather windows. Supply chains have successfully moved 1,500 household-grade steel tubular poles into the remote valleys, alongside 500 specialized 11-meter transmission poles. Out of these, crews have already erected 248 high-capacity poles along the technically demanding Dangdaroo–Suid mountain corridor, with remaining structural steel moving steadily via heavy haul routes. Concluding the site inspections, the Managing Director ordered project managers to maximize output during the limited summer working season, mandate tight quality compliance controls, and coordinate cross-agency workflows to eliminate supply deficits. Speaking to local communities, Singh reaffirmed that delivering stable grid power stands as a transformative milestone for Kishtwar, directly modernizing public education, local healthcare centers, and economic opportunities across the mountain terrain.