SRINAGAR: The Jammu Kashmir government has said that a total of Rs 1,623.43 crore has been sanctioned under Phase-II of the Flood Management and Comprehensive Plan for the River Jhelum to strengthen embankments and mitigate future flood risks. The statement came in response to a question raised by MLA Mubarak Gul in the Legislative Assembly, seeking details of ongoing flood prevention measures and reasons for delays in dredging and other critical works in Srinagar district.
The government informed that the devastating floods of August and September 2025, particularly on August 26 and September 3–4, caused extensive damage to infrastructure across Jammu province, underscoring the continuing vulnerability of the region to flash floods.
Under the Jhelum–Tawi Flood Recovery Programme, the government said that Phase-I of the project, sanctioned at Rs 399.29 crore, has been largely completed. Of this, Rs 328.02 crore has been released (Rs 224.22 crore from the Government of India and Rs 103.80 crore from the Union Territory share), with Rs 327.04 crore already spent.
Phase-II, sanctioned at Rs 1,623.43 crore, aims to widen flood channels, strengthen embankments, and undertake long-term management measures in the Jhelum basin. Of the total sanctioned cost, the Government of India’s share is Rs 1,303.06 crore and the Union Territory’s share is Rs 320.37 crore. So far, Rs 160.56 crore has been released and fully utilised for preparatory and initial works.
The government clarified that dredging and other allied activities in Srinagar are continuing and denied that the projects had been left incomplete. It said that a comprehensive study commissioned in 2018 under the World Bank-funded Jhelum–Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP) is still underway. The study aims to prepare a detailed blueprint for flood management in the Jhelum basin by assessing existing drainage infrastructure, evaluating proposed flood channels, and prioritising interventions in consultation with experts and stakeholders.
Officials said that the proposal for constructing a new flood channel in Srinagar will be taken up after the study concludes and its recommendations are reviewed.
The government maintained that all ongoing dredging and embankment works are being carried out by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department and allied agencies in coordination with district authorities to ensure effective mitigation before the next monsoon season.
