In a landmark move, the Indian Army has brought round-the-clock electricity to Simari, the first village on the Line of Control (LoC) in Karnah Valley, Kupwara district. Simari, which also holds the unique identity of being India’s Polling Booth No 1, has now seen electricity for the first time since Independence.
Perched right on the LoC, with half its houses visible from across the border in Pakistan, Simari was long cut off from basic amenities. The village had survived for decades without electricity, relying on kerosene lamps, firewood, and fading daylight. Power cuts were not occasional—they were permanent.
Everything changed when the villagers reached out to the Indian Army for help. The Army’s Chinar Corps took the request seriously and, under Operation Sadbhavana, partnered with the Pune-based Aseem Foundation to bring a permanent solution.
Together, they installed solar micro-grids—four clusters of high-efficiency solar panels, inverters, and battery banks. Now, all 53 homes, housing 347 residents, have 24×7 electricity. Each household has LED lights, secure sockets, and overload limiters for safety.
In a move to ensure long-term sustainability, engineers from Aseem Foundation also trained local youth to operate and maintain the system.
The Army dedicated the project to Colonel Santosh Mahadik, Shaurya Chakra awardee, who was martyred while fighting terrorists in Kupwara on November 17, 2015.
“Simari now has light, not just in homes, but in the hopes of its people,” a senior Army official said.
With clean energy powering homes and smokeless stoves replacing firewood, the transformation has also helped reduce health issues and protect the local environment. For the villagers, life has taken a turn—from darkness and isolation to light and hope.