SRINAGAR: In the first major move following the suspension of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre has taken a decisive step towards harnessing Jammu and Kashmir’s full water resource potential by inviting bids for the construction of the 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River.The Sawalkote project is set to become the largest hydroelectric project in the Union Territory.The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) floated the tendering process for the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Ramban district of Jammu and Kashmir on 29 July.“Online electronic bids are invited by NHPC on International Competitive Bidding (ICB) basis for the work of ‘Lot-1 Package: Planning, Design & Engineering (PDE) works for execution of 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project located near Sidhu village in Ramban District of UT of J&K, India,” reads a tender notice issued by NHPC.According to the tender, the project, with an estimated cost of ₹209.80 crore, is to be completed within 113 months.The date for submission of bids for the key power project in J&K is 3 September, while the deadline for submission of the online Techno-Commercial Bid and Price Bid is 10 September (5 pm). The deadline for submission of the hard copy (offline documents) to the Tender Inviting Authority is 12 September (11 am).The Sawalkote hydro project had remained stalled since its proposal in the 1960s due to administrative hurdles, environmental concerns, and Pakistan’s objection to its construction, citing concerns about the impact of the dam on the flow of the Chenab River.After the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack, in which 25 tourists and a local ponywala were allegedly killed, India put the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan in abeyance.Under the treaty brokered by the World Bank in 1960, India has absolute rights over the waters of the Beas, Sutlej, and Ravi rivers, while Pakistan has rights over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers.In addition to the construction of the Sawalkote power project, the central government is also set to revive the Tulbul Navigation Project on Wullar Lake in Jammu and Kashmir.In 1981, the new Tulbul Navigation Project (also known as the Wullar Barrage) on Wullar Lake in North Kashmir was conceived. However, the project had to be halted as Pakistan objected to its construction.The Wullar Barrage project is a navigation lock-cum-control structure located at the outlet of Wullar Lake in North Kashmir. It was designed to facilitate navigation on the Jhelum River during the lean winter months. The project would have helped regulate water flow and assisted in downstream power generation.“Since IWT has been put in abeyance, India does not need Pakistan’s consent now. We can now start work on the power projects in J&K as per our likings without any interference from Pakistan,” officials said.J&K Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha recently said the suspension of IWT would bring immense benefit to Jammu and Kashmir, allowing it to harness its true hydropower potential. “The barren areas of Jammu can be irrigated, and there will be new momentum in the development of infrastructure in J&K.”“India’s water will now flow within India and remain in India. With the termination of IWT, we now have full control over the Jhelum and Chenab rivers,” he said.India, he said, will now create infrastructure, power plants, and diversions to new areas with proper infrastructure to utilise the water, enabling the construction of new reservoirs.J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has also backed the central government’s decision to put the 1960 IWT in abeyance and termed the treaty as the “most unfair document” to the people of J&K.
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