Work on Hamirpur's Dhaula Sidh hydro power project begins after 23 years

Dinesh Kanwar
Hamirpur, July 5

Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) has started the construction on the 66 megawatt Dhaula Sidh hydro power project on the Beas near here. The company undertook first blasting for the construction of diversion tunnel on July 2.

First in district

• The construction on the project has started after 23 years
• Once completed, it will be the first power project in the district

It is learnt that the company has also started site development on the spot. Some of the approach roads had already been constructed. Significantly, the power project on the Beas at Dhaula Sidh was conceived by late Babu Ram Mandyal, the then MLA from Nadaun constituency, in 1998 and the then Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal initiated preparation of the Detailed Project Report of the project.

It took almost 23 years for the construction for the project to start. Once completed, it would be the first power house in the district.

The efforts of Anurag Thakur, Minister of State for Finance and Corporate Affairs in getting Rs 687 crore for the project would prove a landmark for the construction of this dream project.

Apart from generating 66 MW power, the project would generate over 500 jobs and provide irrigation facility to over 200 villages of Nadaun subdivision. Notably, the SJVNL had already spent over Rs 145 crore on various aspects of the project, including land acquisition, construction of approach roads, etc.

The construction of dam and installation of hydro mechanical equipment would cost around Rs 530 crore while electro-mechanical equipment would cost addition Rs 80 crore.

Sources here revealed that the ground-breaking ceremony for the dam site would be performed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The SJVNL authorities were in touch with PMO for this purpose, it was learnt.

Rajesh Chandel, Project Head, SJVNL here, said that the work on the construction of diversion tunnel of the Dhaula Sidh Project had started. He said that the first site development would be done and then the construction of dam on the Beas would be started.