With support from the Centre, the Jammu and Kashmir government is planning to restart two important hydropower projects—one each in the Jammu and Kashmir regions. These projects were stalled because of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT).
The decision comes after India put the treaty on hold following the April 22 terror attack in Pahalgam. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said that talks with the Centre are going on. “These projects are important not just for our electricity needs, but also for creating jobs and improving infrastructure,” he said.
The Indus Waters Treaty was signed between India and Pakistan in 1960. It gave Pakistan control over the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab rivers, and limited India’s use of these rivers.
This affected Jammu and Kashmir’s ability to build hydropower projects. After repeated terrorist attacks from across the border, India decided to review the treaty.
Experts say restarting the two projects could add more than 2,000 megawatts of electricity to the region, possibly making J&K power surplus. Other power projects on the Chenab River are also being looked at for quick approval.
One project under discussion is the Tulbul Navigation Project on Wular Lake. It was first planned in 1981 but halted in 1987 after Pakistan objected. The project aimed to control the water flow in the Jhelum River to help boats navigate. The plan included a 439-foot-long and 40-foot-wide structure with a storage of 0.30 million acre-feet.
Pakistan opposed the project, saying it breached the treaty rules. India argued that the structure is not for water storage but only to manage water flow, and it fits within the treaty. But the two sides couldn’t agree on a settlement, leaving the project stalled.
Earlier, Abdullah’s push to restart the Tulbul project drew criticism from PDP leader Mehbooba Mufti, who called his remarks “dangerously provocative.”
Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, during his visit to Srinagar, said India would no longer wait for Pakistan’s permission. “Now that the treaty is suspended, we will restart the project. A detailed project report will be prepared soon,” he said.
