Srinagar, July 30 -- On the banks of the Chenab River, a project first imagined more than six decades ago is finally preparing to take shape.

The Sawalkote Hydroelectric Power Project, long billed as a potential game-changer for India's energy map, has officially moved to its tender stage, marking the first real step toward construction since it was conceived in the 1960s.

The National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), the central agency overseeing the project, issued a Rs.200 crore tender on July 29 for the planning, design, and engineering of the 1,856-megawatt facility.

The tender, which covers "Package 1," is only the beginning. Additional tenders for construction and development will be floated in the coming months.

For Jam...