NHPC invites tenders for mega dam on Chenab
After decades of delay, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has floated a tender worth `5,129 crore for the construction of the Sawalkot Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab River in Jammu. The 1,856-MW project is one of the first to get greenlit by the Union Government after the abrogation of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).
The development is being viewed as part of New Delhi’s broader strategy to optimise the use of water allocated to India under the IWT framework. The project, situated in the Udhampur and Ramban districts may take about nine years to complete.
The scope of tender includes construction of diversion tunnels and adits, cofferdams for diverting the Chenab River, access tunnels and roads, as well as dam construction and hydro-mechanical works. The bids are scheduled to be opened on March 24. Conceived over six decades ago, the project, once completed, will become the largest hydropower project in Jammu & Kashmir and the third largest in the country.
The project has faced prolonged delays over the past several decades due to various reasons. Last year, the cancellation of tenders shortly after their issuance in July 2025 had caused widespread disappointment among the people of Jammu & Kashmir, especially unemployed youth awaiting job opportunities. India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in April last year as a punitive measure against Islamabad following the terror attack in Pahalgam that killed 26 people. The Pakistan-backed attack led to a sharp escalation in diplomatic tensions between the two countries. Under the 1960 treaty, India has control over the eastern rivers — Ravi, Beas and Sutlej — while Pakistan receives the bulk of waters from the western rivers — Indus, Jhelum and Chenab — though India retains limited usage rights over the western rivers.
