Lease expires this month, Himachal Pradesh govt to seek transfer of Shanan project from Punjab

Ravinder Sood

Palampur, February 29

With the 99-year lease of the Shanan hydropower project set to expire in March, the Himachal Pradesh Government has again sought

the handing over of the project from the Punjab government to it.

During his recent visit to Delhi, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu had raised the issue with the Central government and demanded the immediate transfer of the powerhouse to the state before its condition goes from bad to worse. It was alleged that the Punjab Government had discontinued repairs of buildings and maintenance haulage way trolley service. Besides, the turbines and power generators were in a bad shape.

The CM said since the Shanan Power House was situated in Himachal’s territory, the state had full rights on this project. During the reorganisation of the state, injustice was done to Himachal Pradesh when the project was given to Punjab as at that time, Himachal was a Union Territory, he had added.

The British-era Shanan hydropower project at Jogindernagar, 40 km from here, is in a shambles due to alleged apathy of the Punjab government. The project was poor condition as the Punjab government had reportedly stopped the repair and maintenance work.

99-YEAR LEASE

The project was constructed before Independence by the British under a 99-year lease with Raja Joginder Sen, the ruler of the then Mandi state. The lease is set to end in March.

The project was constructed before the Independence by the British under a 99-year-lease with Raja Joginder Sen the ruler of the then Mandi state. The lease of the project will expire in March.

Today, the Punjab government has failed to maintain the buildings, ropeway trolley service and other equipment of the project. After the reorganisation of the states in 1966, the Shanan powerhouse was given to Punjab by the Centre and the lease agreement continued.

The project was constructed in 1925 under the lease executed between Joginder Sen, the ruler of the then Mandi state, and Col BC Batty, a British representative.

The powerhouse was constructed against the backdrop of dense deodar forests with a four-stage haulage rail network starting from Jogindernagar up to Barot, a cup-shaped village on the banks of the Uhl. The tail water of the river is being used by the state government for another two power projects.

The British had also laid a 120-km narrow gauge rail line between Pathankot and Jogindernagar to transport heavy machinery to the Shanan complex. A ropeway trolley service, one-of-its-kind in the country, was also constructed.

“The Shanan powerhouse is one of the oldest powerhouses of the country, which used to feed the undivided Punjab, Lahore and Delhi before Independence. Its setting made it more of a tourist resort than a powerhouse. Tourists visit to enjoy the ride of haulage way trolley up to Barot.”