New Delhi: India has moved decisively to accelerate four major hydropower projects on the Chenab river system, turning long discussed water strategy into on-ground execution in Jammu and Kashmir. The Centre has issued firm instructions to fast-track construction timelines, placing strong emphasis on delivery and operational readiness.
Under the revised schedule, the Pakal Dul and Kiru hydropower projects are to be commissioned by December 2026. The Kwar project has been given a completion target of March 2028, while construction at the strategically sensitive Ratle dam has been ordered to progress at an accelerated pace. The directive followed a two-day inspection by Union Power Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, who reviewed multiple dam sites and underlined that timelines would no longer be flexible.
The developments carry implications beyond power generation. The Chenab forms a critical part of the Indus basin, which supplies the majority of Pakistan’s water needs. A large share of Pakistan’s agriculture, dams, and canal networks depend on rivers that originate in India. As a result, infrastructure activity on the Chenab is closely monitored across the border.
The most significant project in the pipeline is the 1,000 MW Pakal Dul hydropower plant in Kishtwar. Standing at 167 metres, it is India’s highest dam and the first storage project on a western river flowing into Pakistan. Once operational, it will allow India to regulate water flow timing in addition to producing electricity.
Alongside it, the Kiru project, a 135 metre run of the river dam, is also scheduled for completion by December 2026. Its importance lies in its integration within a chain of upstream and downstream projects on the Chenab.
The Kwar project, another run of the river installation, reached a key milestone in early 2024 when the Chenab was diverted to facilitate construction. It is now firmly slated for commissioning in 2028.
The Ratle project remains the most contentious. The 850 MW dam, opposed by Pakistan over technical design issues, is now being fast-tracked after the foundation for concreting work was laid. The Chenab was already diverted for this project last year, with completion expected by 2028.
India is also advancing plans for Dulhasti Stage Two, reinforcing a broader push to consolidate control over Chenab basin hydropower development.
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