India’s Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has given the green light for the 260 MW Dulhasti Stage-II Hydel Project on the Chenab River in Kishtwar district, Jammu and Kashmir.
The Expert Appraisal Committee issued this approval during its 45th meeting around December 19, 2025. This allows for construction tenders for the run-of-the-river project, which is estimated to cost over ₹3,200 crore.
Dulhasto Project
Dulhasti Stage-II will expand the existing 390 MW Dulhasti Stage-I plant, which has been operating since 2007 under NHPC Limited. Water from Stage-I is diverted through a 3,685-meter tunnel (8.5 meters in diameter) to an underground powerhouse that contains two 130 MW units, along with a surge shaft and pressure shaft. The project will require 60.3 hectares of land, including 8.27 hectares of private land from Benzwar and Palmar villages
Clearance Context
The panel pointed out that the project complies with the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty provisions for the Chenab basin, which India shares with Pakistan. However, it confirmed the treaty’s suspension, which took effect on April 23, 2025, after the Pahalgam terror attack. Earlier, Pakistan had raised objections to Chenab projects, but India is now pushing forward with several initiatives in the Indus basin, including Sawalkote, Ratle and Pakal Dul. visit here
Strategic Impact on both side
This project will enhance India’s hydropower capacity in the western rivers basin, improving energy security and renewable energy output during the treaty’s suspension. It will also help meet the power needs of Jammu and Kashmir while allowing for efficient water use without requiring large reservoirs.
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