Jammu, Oct. 31 -- Following suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) post-April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, the Centre has fast-tracked clearances for the stalled 1,856 megawatt Sawalkote hydroelectric project over Chenab River in Ramban district. Despite being conceived way back in 1960s, the project, which will be the biggest hydroelectric project of J&K and third biggest in India, has not picked up desired momentum as it still remains entangled in procedural, technical and financial hurdles. Earlier, the project missed the boat following the restrictions of the flawed IWT and Pakistan's objections. Top officials of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) say that the lukewarm response by the elected government has taken a toll on the project, which is of national importance. "Omar Abdullah's government wants partnership in the project on the grounds that river, land and resources belong to J&K but without any financial contribution to the project. At least the government can offer concessions to NHPC," said a top official, on the condition of anonymity. To be built by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Limited at an estimated cost of Rs.31,380 crore, the run-of-the-river project will straddle Ramban, Reasi and Udhampur districts of Jammu and Kashmir. "In 1992, the NHPC quit the project because of peak militancy but took it over in 2021 from J&K Power Development Corporation Limited (JKPDCL). From 1992 to 2021, for over 30 years, it remained with JKPDCL and very little progress was made in the form of an unfinished tunnel and a 16 km long road from Dharamkund," said the official. The road was damaged extensively due to landslides during heavy rains in August this year, he informed. In January 2021, a MoU was signed between NHPC and JKPDC on build, own, operate and transfer (BOOT) basis for a period of 40 years. While little progress has been made on the ground, a total of 175.65 hectares of private land has to be acquired at a cost of nearly Rs.20,000 crores alone. Initially, the J&K government had conceived a 1200 MW project in two phases but later the state decided to come up with a 600 MW project due to lack of funds. "Then project ran into legal tangles in February 2010 with J&K high court quashing a 2006 government order that had cancelled a prior allotment for the Sawalkote project and initiated a new process based on competitive bidding," he said. Another top official informed that the project received a fresh environmental clearance from the Central Electricity Authority (CEA) in September this year after the state constantly dragged its feet. "Similarly, stage 1st forest clearance was given in June this year butstage 2 clearance is still pending while the process of land acquisition is yet to start," he further added. "If industrialists are being given incentives in J&K then some give and take in the form of concessions should have been extended to NHPC as well. For instance, J&K is entitled for 12% free electricity out of the project but we want to give it in phases. J&K could have given us some GST exemptions. In turn, a written assurance of employment to 5,000 to 6,000 locals in the project could have been inked between us," he said. The official informed that the Centre has now stepped in and has agreed to provide subordinate debt of around Rs.13,000 crore to the NHPC. "Besides a tunnel and a road, a bridge is nearing completion. This is all we have in the name of progress so far. Practically, there isn't much on the ground," said the official. Year 2032 has been fixed as revised deadline but going by the delays, the project may miss it, he added Chief minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the portfolio of the power ministry, said in the ongoing assembly session that despite substantial pre-construction progress and the formal transfer of the project to the NHPC for execution, "the final approval and financial closure are still pending." He attributed the delay to engineering challenges, prolonged regulatory clearances, and an ongoing review of the project's cost and financial viability. "As per the initial schedule, the project was to be completed within 96 months from the zero date, with May 31, 2026, set as the reference point, excluding a 24-month pre-construction phase. However, the project timeline has been deraileddue to multiple factors," he had said....