India has taken another step towards expanding hydropower infrastructure in the Chenab basin after a central government panel recommended in-principle forest clearance for the 820 MW Kirthai-II Hydroelectric Project in Jammu and Kashmir. The approval is being viewed as part of a broader push to maximize the utilization of waters from the Chenab River following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan.
The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has recommended diversion of nearly 197 hectares of forest land for the project, which is proposed in Kishtwar district on the Chenab River. The project had previously received environmental clearance recommendations, but implementation remained contingent upon forest approvals.
Kirthai-II is among a series of hydroelectric projects being advanced across the Chenab basin, a strategically important river system where India has intensified development efforts in recent months. Government agencies have been working to expedite several hydropower projects on the river, including Kiru, Kwar, Ratle, Pakal Dul and Sawalkote, as part of a wider strategy to enhance energy generation and optimize water utilization within the framework of India’s rights over the western rivers.
According to project documents reviewed by government authorities, Kirthai-II will be developed as a run-of-the-river hydroelectric project. The originally proposed capacity of 930 MW has been revised to 820 MW. The project will involve the construction of a 121-metre-high concrete gravity dam and associated power generation infrastructure.
The clearance recommendation includes conditions related to environmental protection and wildlife conservation. Authorities have directed the implementation of biodiversity management measures, habitat conservation plans and wildlife protection mechanisms due to the ecological sensitivity of the project area, which supports species such as the Himalayan Tahr, Asiatic Black Bear and Himalayan Brown Bear.
The development assumes added significance as India seeks to strengthen hydropower generation capacity in Jammu and Kashmir while improving control and utilization of water resources in the Chenab basin. The region is estimated to possess some of the country’s largest untapped hydropower potential, and multiple projects currently under construction are expected to contribute significantly to future electricity generation.
Once completed, Kirthai-II will become a major addition to the hydropower network being developed along the Chenab River, supporting both energy security and infrastructure development objectives in the Himalayan region.
