A major milestone has been achieved at the 850 MW Ratle Hydro Electric Project in Jammu & Kashmir, with the diversion of Chenab river through diversion tunnels at Drabshalla in Kishtwar district, at 11.30 A.M. on January 27, 2024. The river diversion will enable isolation of dam area at river bed for starting the critical activity of excavation and construction of dam. It will expedite project construction activities and help in minimising delays so as to facilitate all efforts being made by the project to meet the scheduled commissioning date of May 2026.

The River Diversion ceremony was inaugurated by CMD, NHPC Shri R.K. Vishnoi and witnessed by Principal Secretary (PDD), Government of J&K, Shri H. Rajesh Prasad; Chairman, RHPCL, Shri I. D. Dayal; MD, JKSPDC, Shri Pankaj Mangotra; Directors of NHPC; CEO, RHPCL, Sh. A.K. Nauriyal and other officials from NHPC and Govt. of J&K.

The Ratle Project is being executed by Ratle Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (RHPCL), a Joint Venture of NHPC Limited and Government of J&K, with shareholding of 51:49 percent, respectively. Ratle HE project is situated on River Chenab in Kishtwar District of J&K with installed capacity of 850 MW. The sanction of Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs was accorded to the project by the Government of India in January 2021, at a total cost of Rs. 5281.94 crores (details here).

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PIB DELHI | Alok Mishra / Dheep Joy Mampilly