Kishtwar’s Power Boost: ₹3,200 Crore Dulhasti-II Project Approved

In a significant development following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, a panel under the Union Environment Ministry has approved the 260 MW Dulhasti State-II hydropower project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district.

The approval comes just two months after clearance was granted to the 1,856 MW Sawalkot hydropower project on the same river, signalling an accelerated push to tap the region’s hydropower potential. The Dulhasti State-II project, estimated to cost ₹3,200 crore, will be an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti State-I project, which has been operational since 2007. The new project will divert water through a separate tunnel system.

Although Jammu and Kashmir’s western rivers have an estimated hydropower potential of nearly 20,000 MW, only about 3,482 MW has been developed so far. The recent approvals reflect efforts to better utilise India’s lawful share under the treaty framework. The Dulhasti State-II project will require the acquisition of over eight hectares of privately owned land from the villages of Benzwar and Palmer in Kishtwar district.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.