We have worked like soldiers, say officials
SRINAGAR: Located in Gurez valley of Bandipora district in north Kashmir, the 330 megawatt Kishenganga Hydroelectric power project that will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday was one of the most challenging projects owing to its strategic location.
Officials say the project has been designed in a way that shells fired from across the Line of Control from PoK will pose no risk to it as almost 80 to 85 percent of the project is underground.
Director and CEO, Hindustan Construction Company (HCC), Arjun Dhawan termed the project as strategic and challenging. “The most of the project is underground and shelling will pose no risk to it. It is a safe and secure project,” he said, adding that people who were involved in this project worked like soldiers.
Constructed at the cost of ₹4,000 crore, the project that began in 2009 got delayed by two years. The HCC constructed this project on behalf of National Hydro Power Corporation.
In 2016, the work on the project got hampered when shells fired from across the LoC had landed close to the dam and the dumping site, creating panic among the workers, who were shifted from Gurez to Bandipora using the 24km long underground tunnel. The tunnel now serves as the Head Race Tunnel-HRT to divert water from the dam in Gurez valley to the power house located in Bandipora.
“It was a very big challenge to motivate workers and get them back to the work at dam site and complete this project under adverse conditions,” said A I Benny, project manager, HCC.
“Even 2016 was a challenge for us when situation was adverse in the Valley due to protests and strikes,” he said adding that all trials have been completed and the project will generate 330 megawatts of the electricity once it will be thrown open.