A panel under the Union Ministry of Environment has approved the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II hydropower project on the Chenab river in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir. The clearance comes amid India’s suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan since April 2025.
According to details received by The Chenab Times, the Expert Appraisal Committee for River Valley and Hydroelectric Projects granted terms of reference for the project’s environment impact assessment on December 10. Times of India reported the run-of-the-river scheme, estimated at Rs 3,277 crore, is an extension of the existing 390 MW Dulhasti power station.
The approval follows India’s April 23 suspension of the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty after a terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 tourists. PTI noted the treaty remains in abeyance on national security grounds, enabling advancement of strategic projects on western rivers.
The project, proposed by NHPC Ltd, will generate 1,027.75 million units annually. It involves a 100-meter-high concrete gravity dam and underground powerhouse. As per reports, the panel waived public hearings, citing the site’s remote location with no habitations within 10 km.
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The Chenab Times News Desk
