Dewatering work begins at Lohari Nagpal tunnels in Uttarkashi

UTTARKASHI: The process to seal six tunnels at the Lohari Nagpal hydropower project, stalled since 2010, has begun. Work to extract accumulated water from the tunnels -- known as dewatering -- is being carried out at a rapid pace.The project, which began in 2006, was halted after around 70% work was completed following protests over environmental concerns and the sanctity of the Ganga. The govt later scrapped the project. Officials said the estimated cost of the sealing process is around Rs 22 crore.Executive engineer at UJVNL, Mahavir Singh Nath, said, "Accumulated water has filled some tunnels and is being removed in phases. They will undergo detailed inspection. Sections found loose or unstable will be treated to ensure structural safety. The tunnels will then be permanently sealed by plugging both ends to a depth of around five metres each."Since the project was halted, it has remained in limbo and construction activities stopped. Accumulated water and lack of maintenance raised the risk of damage to project structures as well as villages on the surrounding hillsides.