India Launches Chenab Hydropower Projects Amid Indus Treaty Freeze

India has started work on two infrastructure projects linked to the Chenab river system with an estimated cost of nearly ₹2,600 crore. The projects include the ₹2,352 crore Chenab-Beas Link Tunnel in Himachal Pradesh and the ₹268 crore sediment-bypass tunnel at the Salal Dam in Jammu and Kashmir.

Chenab River System

The Chenab is one of the western rivers of the Indus basin and flows through India and Pakistan. In India, major hydropower projects on the Chenab are located in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

Indus Waters Treaty and River Allocation

The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan with the World Bank as a signatory. It allocates the eastern rivers, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej, to India, while the western rivers, Indus, Jhelum and Chenab, are assigned for use by Pakistan, subject to limited Indian rights for non-consumptive uses and hydropower generation.

Major Chenab Hydropower Projects

India has fast-tracked four major Chenab hydropower projects in Jammu and Kashmir. Pakal Dul has a planned capacity of 1,000 MW, Kiru has 624 MW, Kwar has 540 MW, and Ratle has 850 MW. The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab has a planned capacity of 1,856 MW and an estimated cost of ₹5,129 crore. The Dulhasti Stage-II project on the Chenab has a planned capacity of 260 MW and an estimated cost of ₹3,277.45 crore.

Hydropower Terms Used in River Projects

A sediment-bypass tunnel is an engineering structure used to divert silt-laden water away from a dam reservoir. A link tunnel is used to transfer water between river basins or river systems for irrigation, power generation or water management.

Important Facts for Exams

• The Chenab is a western river of the Indus system.
• The Indus Waters Treaty was signed in 1960.
• The World Bank is associated with the treaty as a signatory.
• NHPC stands for National Hydroelectric Power Corporation.

Recent Treaty-Related Developments

India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty in April 2025 after the Pahalgam terror attack. India also rejected a supplemental award on maximum pondage for the Kishanganga and Ratle projects issued by the Court of Arbitration on 15 May 2026.