New Ganderbal hydropower project’s endless wait continues

Srinagar, Aug 25: The 93-MW New Ganderbal Hydropower Project, a long-awaited initiative first announced in 1996, continues to face delays and uncertainties nearly three decades after its inception.

Despite its potential to significantly alleviate Kashmir's power crisis, the project has not seen any concrete development.

The New Ganderbal Hydropower Project, designed as a run-of-the-river system on the Sindh Nallah, was originally estimated to cost over Rs 800 crore. The project plans include three units of 31 MW each, with a gross head of 163.5m and a net head of 142.2m. Three penstocks, each 265m long and 2.5m in diameter, are expected to carry water from the reservoir to the turbines. Once operational, the project is projected to generate 382.82 GWh of electricity annually, potentially transforming the power landscape of the region.

The project's journey has been marked by a series of setbacks and administrative decisions.

According to officials, in 2014, a two-stage bidding process selected Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) as the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contractor with a negotiated price of Rs 819.18 crore.

However, HCC failed to execute the project by 2017 due to various factors. "This led to a significant turning point when the State Administrative Council, under then-governor Satya Pal Malik, approved the cancellation of the bid process and authorised the Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) to initiate a new procurement process."

Despite these challenges, officials maintain that the New Ganderbal Hydropower Project is more economically, geologically, and ecologically feasible compared toother proposed and ongoing projects by JKSPDC and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC). It also reportedly involves fewer social, rehabilitation, and resettlement issues, making it an attractive option for addressing the region's power needs.

"A major portion of the land that needs to be utilised for the project has been already bought by the power development corporation, but the problem lies with the fact that there is no execution," a senior JKSPDC official.

In October 2022, a new tender for the project was issued, signalling renewed efforts to get the project off the ground. However, as of August 2024, no significant progress has been reported since then.

The most recent update came during Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha's Independence Day speech, where he stated that the New Ganderbal power project is in the "award stage," suggesting some movement in the project's status.

The New Ganderbal Hydropower Project has received all necessary approvals, including verification of compliances by the Indus Commission of the Centre. This positions the project as a viable solution to J&K's power supply challenges, potentially offering partial relief to the current power crisis.

As the project enters its 28th year since conception, its future remains a topic of keen interest and concern for the people of Jammu and Kashmir.