The flow of water from the river Ravi to Pakistan has stopped following the completion of the Shahpur Kandi barrage, situated along the border between Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir. As a result, the 1,150 cusecs of water allocated to Jammu and Kashmir will now be used to irrigate over 32,000 hectares of land in the Kathua and Samba districts of the Union Territory.

According to official sources, the Irrigation and Hydel Power Generation Project, considered prestigious, has encountered numerous challenges and is now nearing completion after three decades. The process of pondage at Shahpur commenced just two days ago following the completion of the barrage work.

Under the Indus Water Treaty, Indian authorities will now use the water from the Ravi River, which previously flowed towards Pakistan from the old Lakhanpur dam but is now diverted to the Madhopur Canal, benefiting the regions of Jammu and Kashmir, and Punjab.

Sources revealed that the foundation stone for the Shahpurkandi Barrage Project was laid by then Prime Minister of India, PV Narsimha Rao, in 1995. However, the project encountered numerous hurdles from its inception, primarily stemming from disputes between the governments of Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab.

Consequently, work on the project remained suspended for several years. It was only in 2018, following the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union MoS in the PMO, Dr. Jitendra Singh, that the project could finally resume after a suspension of over four and a half years.

According to official sources, the multipurpose Shahpurkandi Barrage Project, valued at Rs 3300 crores (revised cost), is poised to deliver significant benefits. It is expected to provide 1150 cusecs of irrigation water to Jammu and Kashmir and over 5000 cusecs of water to the state of Punjab.

Additionally, the project is projected to generate about 206 MW of electricity and serve as a tourist attraction. Punjab state is anticipated to be the primary beneficiary of the power generated by this project, as per the sources.

Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office Dr. Jitendra Singh attributed the halt to the Shahpur Kandi project to political reasons by previous governments in Jammu and Kashmir.

He highlighted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's involvement in reviving the project after being briefed about its benefits in 2014. Under Modi's initiative, a high-level committee was formed, ultimately leading to the project's revival after 40 years during the imposition of Governor's Rule in Jammu and Kashmir.

Executive Engineer Ajit Kumar of RTIC Kathua confirmed that water from the Ranjeet Sagar Dam is being released for the Shahpur Kandi barrage, and the dam's required height will be achieved in 90 days.

The project's cost was initially Rs 2793 crores but has been revised to Rs 3300 crores, inclusive of a 206 MW hydel power project. The Power House, situated about 3 km from Shapurkandi, will benefit Punjab exclusively under the agreement.

J&K will receive 1150 cusecs of Ravi water while Punjab gets 5000 cusecs. The Ravi-Tawi canal's design capacity is 1350 cusecs, with Punjab releasing water as per demand. The project will irrigate 32,000 hectares in Kathua and Samba, benefiting various areas.

Completion of pending canal work is expected within 45 days. The Shahpur Kandi Power House is projected to start generating electricity by next year, contributing 206 MW in addition to the existing power generated by the Ranjit Sagar Dam.

Image source: ANI