Centre Fast-Tracks Power Line Clearance For Pakal Dul Project Across Chenab Tributary After Indus Treaty Suspension

In a significant move just weeks after suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan, the Indian government has fast-tracked approval for the electricity transmission line of the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul hydropower project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, the Times of India reported.

The Ministry of Power gave this clearance in a record 40-day process that typically takes months or even years, showing the government’s urgency to harness more water from the Indus River Basin for domestic use.

The Pakal Dul project, situated on the Marusudar River (a Chenab tributary), will be India’s highest dam in India on the Indus system with a dam height of 167 meters and a significantly larger storage capacity than previous projects.

The project is expected to be commissioned by September 2026, with transmission lines set to traverse 21 villages in Kishtwar. The approval was notified on 5 May, just ahead of India’s military operation ‘Sindoor’ targeting terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu-Kashmir.

Experts note that the government’s accelerated timeline signals a strategic intent to maximise India’s use of Indus basin waters, particularly after the IWT was put in abeyance following the deadly Pahalgam terror attack in April, which India attributed to Pakistan-based militants.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier emphasised that water “meant for India will now remain and be used within the country,” marking a shift in policy after decades of adhering to the treaty despite ongoing tensions.

The Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL), a subsidiary of NHPC, will implement the project and must secure clearances from local authorities, railways, highways, and defence agencies before the construction of the transmission infrastructure proceeds.

The fast-tracking of Pakal Dul is part of a broader push to expedite hydropower projects in Jammu-Kashmir and Ladakh.