Will New Ganderbal hydropower project see progress now?

Ganderbal, Oct 18: Announced way back in 1996 the work on the much awaited 93 MW New Ganderbal hydropower project is in limbo as the authorities have failed to start the construction work of the power project.

But with Ganderbal having elected its new Member of Legislative Assembly (MLA) Omar Abdullah and head of the new J&K government the people here pin their hopes on their MLA and the Chief Minister to see the progress on this much awaited project. “We are hopeful now,” they said.

The New Ganderbal Hydropower project was announced more than two decades ago. Coming up on river Sindh, the project is coming up at a cost of over 800 crore was announced in 1996. The project was conceived as a run-of-the river scheme on Sindh nallah with three units of 31 MW each.

Official sources said that in 2014 a two stage bidding process was adopted for the selection of the EPC contractor for construction of the project in which HCC emerged as the successful bidder with a negotiated cost of Rs 819.18 Crore. However, for a variety of reasons M/S HCC failed to implement the project till 2017 and subsequently the contract was cancelled.

Sources said that the LOI to M/s HCC was issued in pursuant to a Cabinet Decision, the proposal was placed before the SAC chaired by then Governor Jammu and Kashmir Satya Pal Malik, who accorded approval to annulment of Bid Process and initiation of procurement process of the 93 MW New Ganderbal Hydro Power Project afresh by JKSPDC in Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) mode. The decision was taken in view of the resolution passed by then the Board of Directors of JKSPDC, sources said. Official sources told Greater Kashmir that all the requisite clearances for the project have been obtained and compliances for clearance of the project by Indus Commission (Gol), made.

The government’s failure to start the construction on 93 Megawatt New GanderbalPower Project has brought a strong resentment amongst the people here. Locals said that the successive governments have failed to initiate the work on the much awaited project here in Ganderbal district thus marring the purpose of this vital project. “The announcement about the construction of a new power project in Ganderbal came as a sigh of relief for the people however it was short lived as till date no such development took place” the residents told Greater Kashmir.

They said that though a couple of decades have passed the work on much awaited project is yet to kick off despite the frequent assurances from the higher rank officials and ministers in past. Officials said that with the construction of this project the power supply will increase in the state and it help in the tiding over the power crisis to some extent also. “The incessant delay in the execution of the project shows the inability of the authorities to commission the project. Further, if the project gets commissioned at an earliest, it could will mitigate the electricity problem of the common masses,” said Bilal Ahmed, a local resident of Ganderbal.

The New Ganderal project is said to be more viable economically, geologically and environmentally when compared with other proposed and under-construction projects of Power Development Corporation and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation and involved minimal rehabilitation and resettlement and social issues. A senior official when contacted told Greater Kashmir that the project is in its tendering process stage. He said that once the tendering process is completed the work can be started on the project.