Context:
India has formally invited international tenders for the construction of the long-delayed 1,856 MW Sawalkote hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu & Kashmir, following its decision to keep the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in abeyance. This marks a strategic shift in India’s use of its entitlements under the IWT, aimed at maximizing the utilisation of western river waters.
Key Highlights:
- About the Project:
- Name: Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project
- Location: Ramban district, Jammu & Kashmir
- Type: Run-of-river hydroelectric project
- Capacity: 1,856 MW
- Estimated Cost: ₹22,705 crore
- Executing Agency: NHPC
- Strategic Significance:
- The move aligns with India’s broader strategy to assert greater rights over western rivers (Chenab, Jhelum, Indus) under IWT provisions.
- Pakistan had long objected to the project, delaying it under the treaty’s dispute resolution mechanisms.
- Historical Background:
- Conceived in the 1980s; shelved and revived multiple times.
- Attempts to revive in 1996 with a Norwegian consortium failed.
- Faced hurdles related to forest clearance, compensation to 13 villages, and relocation of an Army camp.
- Project was completely shelved during Mufti Mohammad Sayeed’s tenure.
