India is gearing up to make massive changes to the Indus River system to meet the water demands of the northern states. In a strategic move after suspending the Indus Water Treaty with Pakistan, the government is now trying to ensure that the project is ready ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
During a review meeting by senior ministers last Friday, it was stated that a detailed project report (DPR) is already being prepared to construct a 14-km tunnel that would connect the Indus River with the Beas River, both part of the Indus system, according to people privy to the developments.
Multinational construction firm L&T has been tasked with preparing the project report. It is expected to be ready by next year.
The work on the proposed 113-km canal that would deliver the Indus water to the northern states was also reviewed at the meeting, sources added.
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The Indus Water Treaty was a landmark water-sharing deal signed in 1960 between India and Pakistan following an intervention by the World Bank. India suspended the treaty in the aftermath of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, with the government asserting that “water and blood can’t flow together”.
The government had since been working on a detailed plan to utilize India’s share of the Indus water. To make this a reality, an ambitious project has been conceived under the Inter-Basin Indus Water Transfer Scheme and is being monitored at the highest levels of the government.
The most challenging part of this project is the construction of the 14-km tunnel, say sources. Such a tunnel would require a detailed study of the mountain rocks, and in case of weaker rocks, the tunnel will be laid through pipes. Its construction will begin after the government receives the DPR report.
The use of tunnel boring machines and rock shield technology has been proposed to ensure speed and safety. The tunnel would also be connected to the Ujh Multipurpose Project in Kathua district of Jammu and Kashmir to enable water transfer from the Ujh River, a tributary of the Ravi, to the Beas Basin.
The completion of this tunnel will connect the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system to the Indus Basin, enabling India to maximize the utility of its share of water. Sources estimate that its construction will take three to four years and be ready by 2028. The estimated cost is around Rs 4,000-5,000 crore.
Read: India’s Goodwill Gesture To Pakistan After Indus Treaty Abeyance
The tunnel’s construction will be carried out in separate sections, it was informed during Friday’s meeting.
The project aims to increase irrigation capacity in the arid regions of Rajasthan by diverting water to the Indira Gandhi Canal. States like Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana, Delhi, and Punjab will also benefit from this project. A canal will be built to connect the Chenab River to the Ravi-Beas-Sutlej system. It will be linked to the existing canal systems of these states so that water can reach the Indira Gandhi Canal directly and deliver the water to Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.
Besides, the project will also enhance drinking water availability in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan.
The project will stop the excess water from India’s share from flowing to Pakistan, thus strengthening the country’s water security and reaffirming the government’s resolve that “water and blood can’t flow together”. It will also help address the impacts of climate change and changing rainfall patterns, besides strengthening the existing 13 canal systems.
There are further plans to extend the length of the Ranbir Canal from 60 to 120 km in Jammu.
