After over 40 years, India issues tender for Sawalkote project as Indus treaty remains in abeyance

SRINAGAR: India, taking advantage of its keeping in abeyance the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan, floated on Wednesday international tenders for construction of the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab river a little over 40 years after it was conceived.

The project, designated by govt as one of national importance, had suffered long delays due to objections from Pakistan under the Indus Waters Treaty framework as well as multiple regulatory and administrative hurdles, including compensation issues involving 13 affected villages, relocation of the Army transit camp in Ramban, and forest land within the project area requiring clearances and compensation under environmental regulations.

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) initiated on Wednesday the tendering process for the power project, located near Sidhu village in J&K’s Ramban district. The last date for submission of online bids is Sept 10. It invited international bids on a competitive bidding basis for planning, design, and engineering works for the 1,856 MW project. The last date for submission of online bids is Sept 10.

Construction of the Sawalkote project is a major strategic development aimed at optimising India’s use of Indus waters while the treaty with Pakistan remains in abeyance. The 1960 treaty had given India control of the Beas, Ravi and Sutlej rivers, and Pakistan the Indus, Chenab and Jhelum, with India being allowed a portion of waters from the “western rivers (those under Pakistan control)” for certain uses.

J&K chief minister Omar Abdullah, who is also power minister, told TOI the project is of great significance and that he hoped it would finally take off. “The project was originally conceived in the 1980s, but it was shelved after some time. In 1996, Dr Farooq Abdullah attempted to revive it with the help of a Norwegian consortium but that effort didn’t succeed. Later, during my previous tenure, we tried to initiate the project again, but it encountered certain hurdles,” Omar said, adding that it was completely shelved during the tenure of the Mufti Mohammad Sayeed govt.

Ramban MLA Arjun Singh Raju was the first to announce Wednesday’s development, calling it a landmark moment. “Sawalkote power project is the biggest in the country. Once completed, it will benefit not just Jammu and Kashmir, but the entire nation. I think it is a historical moment,” he said, adding, “And the credit goes to chief minister Omar Abdullah, who fought relentlessly for this project,” he added.

The run-of-river project is estimated to cost Rs 22,704.8 crore and will be developed in two stages.

“All issues have now been sorted out,” Raju said, adding that NHPC has also secured relaxation on the water cess, which had earlier delayed progress.

Earlier this month, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) granted “in-principle” approval for the diversion of 847 hectares of forest land for the construction of the Sawalkote project.

Conceived in 1984, the Sawalkote project, sources said it was given to NHPC in 1985. In 1997 it was given back to Jammu Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) for execution. Sources said approximately Rs 430 crore was spent by JKSPDC on “enabling infrastructure” around the project. But no work had started on the main project. Then, in 2021, an MoU was signed with NHPC to revive and implement the project under the build-own-operate-transfer model.