Arunachal eyes tourism hub at Subansiri Lower Dam

The Arunachal Pradesh Government has unveiled an ambitious plan to develop the Subansiri Lower pondage into a world-class mountain-cum-river tourism hub, aiming to integrate eco-tourism, adventure, culture and sustainable livelihoods while leveraging the State’s hydropower infrastructure.

The proposed hub will come up around the 2,000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, India’s largest hydroelectric project, which is slated for full commissioning by December this year, with four units already operational.

The pondage created by the project is being viewed as a unique opportunity to build a high-value tourism ecosystem in one of the country’s most biodiverse river corridors, an official communique informed here on Thursday.

Pondage is the storage of water in a small, regulated reservoir or pond located immediately at a hydropower plant.

Chief Minister Pema Khandu has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking support for the initiative.

He has also sought technical collaboration from key ministries, including tourism, power, Jal Shakti, ports, shipping and waterways, and the Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), advocating a whole-of-Government approach.

According to the proposal, the tourism plan will integrate multiple components such as eco and nature-based experiences, adventure tourism and water sports, cultural and heritage tourism, inland fisheries and livelihood generation, as well as luxury river cruises and marine-based activities.

The initiative draws inspiration from globally renowned destinations like Phewa Lake in Nepal, Kaeng Krachan in Thailand, Lake Como and the Dolomite Lake circuit in Italy, and Milford Sound in New Zealand.

Khandu emphasised that local and tribal communities will be at the core of the project, acting as primary stakeholders, beneficiaries and custodians of the region’s cultural and ecological heritage.

The project is expected to generate over 2,500 jobs in its steady State, particularly benefiting local youth, while targeting more than 1.5 lakh tourists annually in the medium term.

In the first phase, the Government will engage leading design and planning agencies to prepare a detailed project report (DPR), including financial estimates and implementation frameworks, in consultation with local communities.

On March 28, Khandu, along with officials, undertook a high-speed river journey of around 45 km along the Subansiri River, from the project site at Dollungmukh to the Kamle-Subansiri confluence, as part of efforts to explore tourism potential linked to hydropower development.