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| At Chenab, a long dram comes true | | | EARLY TIMES REPORT
JAMMU, Oct 10: The much awaited Baglihar power project inaugurated by Prime Minister on Friday is a dream come true for the citizens of Jammu and Kashmir.
The 450 MW power project built on the Chenab river flowing from the border state into Pakistan has been bogged down by controversies ever since its' inception in 1992.
Pakistan had opposed the project built on the river at Chanderkote in a narrow valley in Ramban district saying it will divert water away from its territory.
In 2005, it had unilaterally approached the World Bank - the third party to the 1960 Indus Water Treaty between India and Pakistan.
Raymond Lafitte, a Swiss national and professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, appointed by the World Bank, gave a go-ahead to India for the project after a few minor modifications.
The Baglihar Hydro Electric Project is very crucial to ensure the sustainable development of the economy of the people of the state and will have installed capacity of 900 MW when complete.
This project was conceived by the State Power Department in 1992 and tenders floated for the first time in 1996. But due to bureaucratic hurdles, fresh tenders were floated and contract for construction was given to Jai Prakash Industries in 1999.
The project marred by delay and cost escalation was originally fixed at Rs 4,000 crores but the construction cost has already crossed Rs 5,000 crore after estimates were revised.
The dam is a 143-meter high, 362-meter long with 10.15-meter diameter and 2.80 kms long with an underground powerhouse that can withstand earthquakes up to 10 on Richter scale.
Nearly ten kms of tunnels and 20 kms of roads were constructed in the mountains of Ramban and top grade steel and technology used to ensure against fissures due to tectonic shifts in the Himalayas.
On July 31 this year, a three-member team from Pakistan led by Central Water Commission (Indus Water Treaty), Commissioner Syed Jamait Ali Shah visited Baglihar Project at Chaderkote belt of Ramban district and gave a clean chit to it after complete inspections. |
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