Early Times Report
Jammu, Dec 26: In a significant push to accelerate hydropower development in Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Ministry of Environment, Forest, and Climate Change has granted environmental clearance to the second phase of the Dulhasti Hydroelectric Project.
The approval was accorded during the 45th meeting of the Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC), paving the way for floating construction tenders for the project.
The 260-megawatt run-of-the-river project, to be built over the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore. The clearance comes in the backdrop of India suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack that claimed the lives of 25 civilians.
According to official documents, while India has put the IWT on hold, the Dulhasti Stage-II project continues to adhere to the technical parameters laid down under the treaty provisions. The move signals a renewed focus on harnessing the hydropower potential of the Chenab River, a key western river under the IWT framework.
The Centre has fast-tracked hydropower clearances in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor, launched following the Pahalgam attack. Earlier, the 1,856-MW Sawalkot Hydroelectric Project—Jammu and Kashmir’s largest and nationally significant power project—also received clearance. Conceived in the 1960s, the Sawalkot project remained stalled for over four decades due to sustained objections from Pakistan.
Under the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, India was granted control over the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas and Sutlej—while Pakistan was allocated the western rivers—Indus, Chenab and Jhelum. However, India is permitted limited, non-consumptive use of waters from the western rivers, including for hydropower generation.
The Dulhasti Stage-II project is an extension of the existing 390-MW Dulhasti Hydroelectric Project (Stage-I), which was commissioned in 2007 by NHPC Limited. In January 2021, NHPC signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Jammu and Kashmir government to execute the second stage on a build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis for a period of 40 years.
The expansion will leverage the existing Stage-I dam and reservoir while adding new infrastructure, including a 3.6-kilometre headrace tunnel and an underground powerhouse housing two units of 130 MW each. The project will also include a 215-metre tailrace tunnel to enable additional power generation, as outlined in the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) study.
Once commissioned, Dulhasti Stage-II is expected to significantly enhance Jammu and Kashmir’s power generation capacity, producing an estimated 1,093.11 million units of electricity annually.
Meanwhile, data from the Union Power Ministry indicates sustained momentum in the hydropower sector nationwide, with 3,360 MW of projects already commissioned, 3,052 MW currently under construction, and another 2,449 MW at the planning stage. |