Ratle hydroelectric power project to be revived soon: Union Minister Jitendra Singh

The 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric power project in Jammu and Kashmir, work on which was stalled for the past six years, will be revived soon, Union minister Jitendra Singh said on Wednesday. The hydroelectric project is a run-of-river scheme located on river Chenab in Kishtwar district of the union territory.

“The preliminary work such as construction of access roads and diversion tunnels was started in 2013 but the work got stopped due to various issues cropping up between the then government of Jammu & Kashmir and the company to which the contract of the project had been awarded,” according to an official statement.

On the intervention and follow-up by Singh, the Union Ministry of Power has now, in consultation with the government of Jammu & Kashmir, made a revival plan for implementation of the power project, it said.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and the government of J&K, the statement issued by the minister’s office said.

Singh, the Minister of State for Personnel, said that with the revival of Ratle power project and the work having already started on the two other projects of Pakkaldul and Kiru, Kishtwar will become the nerve centre of power generation in Jammu and Kashmir.

“The 850-MW Ratle Hydroelectric Power Project in district Kishtwar of Jammu & Kashmir, the work on which had been stopped for the last over six years, is being revived soon,” he said.

The minister said this after meeting the NHPC chairman A K Singh who briefed him about the status of various hydroelectric projects in Jammu & Kashmir being implemented by it. He expressed hope that the day is not far when not only Kishtwar and surrounding areas will become power surplus, but will supply power to other regions.

“This, in turn, will also help in giving a boost to the industry and new investments which are likely to come to Jammu & Kashmir following the new constitutional and administrative arrangements since 5th and 6th August last year,” said Singh, who is also a Lok Sabha member from J-K’s Udhampur constituency.

The NHPC CMD briefed that a meeting for investment decision was held recently and subsequently joint meetings were was held under the chairmanship of Union Home Secretary and Cabinet Secretary respectively.

“For expediting the process, the matter is also being taken up with the concerned authorities in the Union Territory government of Jammu & Kashmir,” the statement said. Singh also reviewed the status of two other power projects of national importance, namely Pakkaldul and Kiru, coming up in Kishtwar. He was apprised that the work on these projects is in progress despite the constraints of lockdown.

(Photo Credit: PTI)