Dehradun: Uttarakhand’s long-awaited Kisau Dam Project is expected to receive fresh momentum soon. The Union Home Ministry has been directly monitoring the ambitious project for nearly six months. As part of this effort, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will chair a high-level review meeting in Delhi on Monday with senior officials from all stakeholder states.
A detailed discussion on the project is also scheduled between Amit Shah and Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on June 16.
Revised DPR Ready
The revised Detailed Project Report (DPR) has been completed. The project was first conceptualized in the 1940s, and its original DPR was prepared in 1996. However, environmental objections and other challenges prevented its progress.
The Government of India granted it National Project status in 2008, and in 2021 it was decided to prepare a revised DPR. According to the updated report, the project’s estimated cost is approximately ₹15,000 crore.
The DPR has already been submitted to the central government for approval, while environmental and other statutory clearances are under process.
Key Benefits of the Project
Officials from Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Delhi, and Himachal Pradesh will participate in Monday’s review meeting. Uttarakhand Chief Secretary Anand Bardhan and UJVNL Managing Director Anil Kumar Singh will attend on behalf of the state.
Considered Asia’s second-largest multipurpose dam project after the Tehri Dam, the Kisau Dam is expected to:
- Generate 660 MW of electricity
- Provide approximately 350 MW to Uttarakhand
- Supply additional irrigation water to farmers in six states
- Improve water availability in the Yamuna River
Major Challenge: Himachal Pradesh’s Consent
The biggest challenge remains obtaining full support from Himachal Pradesh, as a substantial area of the state would be submerged by the project. Since Himachal already has surplus power generation, its participation has been limited.
However, with direct monitoring by the Union Home Ministry, hopes are high that consensus among all six stakeholder states can be achieved, enabling the long-delayed project to move into the construction phase.
