‘Watershed’ Moment: India Pushes 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project Plan After Indus Treaty Freeze
How did your country report this? Share your view in the comments.
Diverging Reports Breakdown
‘Watershed’ Moment: India Pushes 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project Plan After Indus Treaty Freeze
‘Watershed’ Moment: India Pushes 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project Plan After Indus Treaty Freeze. Originally conceived in the 1960s, this project is now becoming a reality. The project will feature a Roller Compacted Concrete Gravity Dam with a height of 192.5 m from the deepest foundation level, ensuring river diversion through three horseshoe-shaped tunnels. An underground Power House will be constructed on the left bank of the Chenab River, downstream of the dam, with an installed capacity of 1,800 MW divided into eight units of 225 MW each. A 56 MW power station will utilise the released water to meet environmental flow requirements, bringing the total plant capacity to 1,.856MW (1,800 + 56 MW). The project plans for non-monsoon and monsoon period flood diversion at 2,977 cumec and 9,292 cumec, respectively. The three diversion tunnels will measure 965 m, 1,130 m, and 1,280 m in length.
Last Updated: July 30, 2025, 23:54 IST
The project aims to harness the hydropower potential of the Chenab River between the Baglihar Project upstream and the Salal Project downstream
Advertisement
In a significant move, the Centre on Wednesday set in motion plans to construct the 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project near Sidhu village in Ramban District of the union territory of J&K, on the Chenab River. Originally conceived in the 1960s, this project is now becoming a reality.
The project will feature a Roller Compacted Concrete Gravity Dam with a height of 192.5 m from the deepest foundation level, ensuring river diversion through three horseshoe-shaped tunnels, as per the tender document. Representational image/Reuters
This development adds to Pakistan’s woes following India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty. According to a tender document reviewed by News18, the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project aims to harness the hydropower potential of the Chenab River between the Baglihar Project upstream and the Salal Project downstream.
Recommended Stories
The Sawalkote Project spans Ramban and Udhampur Districts in Jammu & Kashmir and is approximately 120 km from Jammu and 130 km from Srinagar, with both cities’ airports being almost equidistant from the site. The Detailed Project Report was last prepared in 2018, and progress is now evident after India halted the Indus Waters Treaty on April 22 this year.
The project will feature a Roller Compacted Concrete Gravity Dam with a height of 192.5 m from the deepest foundation level, ensuring river diversion through three horseshoe-shaped tunnels, as per the tender document. An underground Power House will be constructed on the left bank of the Chenab River, downstream of the dam, with an installed capacity of 1,800 MW divided into eight units of 225 MW each. Additionally, a 56 MW power station will utilise the released water to meet environmental flow requirements, bringing the total plant capacity to 1,856 MW (1,800 + 56 MW).
The project plans for non-monsoon and monsoon period flood diversion at 2,977 cumec and 9,292 cumec, respectively. The three diversion tunnels will measure 965 m, 1,130 m, and 1,280 m in length. The project is designed as a run-of-the-river scheme.
The catchment area of the Chenab River spans J&K and Himachal Pradesh. The upper half of the basin is located between the Great Himalayas and Pir Panjal, and the lower half between Pir Panjal and the Dhaola Dhar/Shivalik ranges.
top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all
The Chenab River is one of the three main rivers in Jammu and Kashmir, along with the Indus and the Jhelum. The Chenab River basin is part of the Western Himalayas, with over 10,000 km² of its catchment in India permanently above the snowline.
The Sawalkote hydroelectric project was conceived by the Central Water Commission (CWC), with extensive investigations for the Detailed Project Report (DPR) initiated in the early 1960s. Geological investigations were conducted by officers of the Geological Survey of India between 1962-63 and 1970-71. The Sawalkote Consortium last submitted the Detailed Project Report in February 2018.
About the Author Aman Sharma Aman Sharma, Executive Editor – National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Minister’s Office…. Read More Aman Sharma, Executive Editor – National Affairs at CNN-News18, and Bureau Chief at News18 in Delhi, has over two decades of experience in covering the wide spectrum of politics and the Prime Minister’s Office…. Read More
view comments
First Published: July 30, 2025, 21:55 IST
News india ‘Watershed’ Moment: India Pushes 1,856 MW Sawalkote Hydro Project Plan After Indus Treaty Freeze
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy