Sawalkote Dam Project Revived
The Sawalkote dam on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir has gained renewed focus in India’s hydropower strategy. The project, originally started in 1984, is one of the largest hydroelectric schemes planned on a western river of the Indus basin. Following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) in 2025, the Environment Ministry’s Expert Appraisal Committee (EAC) is set to consider environmental clearance for the 1,865 MW project. This move marks shift in India’s approach to utilising the Chenab’s hydro potential amid changing geopolitical dynamics.
Background and Strategic Importance
The Chenab is a key tributary of the Indus River system, which is shared between India and Pakistan under the IWT. Traditionally, India’s use of western rivers like the Chenab is restricted to non-consumptive purposes. After the Pahalgam terror attack in April 2025, which led to the treaty’s abeyance, the Government of India declared the Sawalkote project a strategic priority. The Ministries of Power and Home Affairs have pushed for swift construction, citing the project’s importance in energy security and regional development.
Environmental Clearance and Regulatory Challenges
The EAC is expected to decide whether to grant environmental clearance without conducting cumulative impact assessment (CIA) and carrying capacity studies (CCS). These studies are normally essential to evaluate long-term ecological and social effects of large hydropower projects. However, the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) has exempted Sawalkote from these requirements, citing that the project predates the 2013 guidelines mandating such studies. The exemption accelerates the clearance process but raises concerns among environmentalists.
Project Specifications and Impact
Sawalkote is a concrete gravity dam standing 192.5 metres tall with a reservoir capacity of 530 million cubic metres. It will flood 1,159 hectares and require diversion of 846 hectares of forest land across Udhampur, Mahore, Batote, and Ramban districts. Approximately 222,081 trees are expected to be felled, with the largest number in Ramban. The project’s installed capacity is planned in two stages – 1,406 MW in Stage I and 450 MW in Stage II.
Controversies and Environmental Concerns
Though described as a run-of-river scheme, experts argue that Sawalkote’s reservoir size contradicts this classification. Critics have brought into light that the Chenab already hosts several large hydropower projects, including Dulhasti (390 MW), Baglihar (890 MW), and Salal (690 MW), raising concerns about cumulative hydrological stress. Environmentalists have also questioned the outdated baseline data and the absence of fresh cumulative impact studies.
Geopolitical and Legal Dimensions
Under the IWT, India was obliged to notify Pakistan six months before construction. However, with the treaty in abeyance, India has withheld information on the project. The geopolitical context now favours rapid development of hydropower on western rivers, which were earlier restricted. This shift reflects broader changes in India-Pakistan water diplomacy and regional security considerations.
Current Status and Next Steps
The project has cleared the expert appraisal stage previously but awaited forest clearance. The FAC’s recent exemption and the EAC’s upcoming decision could pave the way for final environmental clearance. NHPC has updated environmental data from fresh field studies conducted over three seasons between 2022 and 2023. The government has floated tenders for project components, signalling imminent construction activity.
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