SRINAGAR: In a major development, the Chenab Valley Power Projects Ltd (CVPP) crossed a milestone by starting the diversion of the Chanab River for its Ratle Project. This will pave the way for the working of the dam of the 850-MW Ratle Project.
CVPP is a joint venture company between NHPC and the JKSPDC, a 100 per cent fully owned company of the Jammu and Kashmir Power Department. The JKSPDC has only 49 per cent shares in the CVPP after the NHPC purchased the two per cent shares of the company from the Power Trading Corporation. It is implementing three major Chenab basin projects including Kwar.
The Rs 5281.94 crore Ratle project is being implemented in the Kishtwar district not far away from the main road between Doda and Kishtwar. It envisages the construction of a 133 m high dam, an underground powerhouse with four units of 205 MW each and one with 30 MW.
Diversion of the Chenab discharge marks the completion of two circular 11-meter diameters with one 555 meters in length and another 460 meters. With the river diverted, now the work will start on the main dam structure of the project.
This is the second successful operationalisation of DTs in the Chenab basin. On January 15, 2024, the diversion tunnel of Kwar became operational. Kwar is upstream of Ratle on the same river and in the same district.
Thathri, a highway town close to the site, has been demanding that the project implementors should not dump the debris within the river as it could endanger the town during summer by increasing the flooding. They allege that most of the excavations from the tunnel have been dumped within the river which has shallowed it at places and diverted the flow. They are seeking a high concrete wall for the protection of the town.