SRINAGAR: The Centre has decided to implement the long-pending Ujh Multipurpose Project in phases, allowing construction work to begin while the remaining land acquisition continues simultaneously, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said after reviewing the project’s progress on Saturday.
Chairing a review meeting with officials of WAPCOS Ltd., the implementing agency under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, Singh directed officials to expedite execution of the project and explore innovative implementation strategies without compromising on quality, safety or efficiency.
Officials informed the minister that work on the project would commence in phases instead of waiting for the completion of the entire land acquisition process. Preparatory work, including project site requirements, is also underway.
The Ujh Multipurpose Project, proposed on the Ujh River in Kathua district, is expected to generate between 186 MW and 212 MW of hydroelectric power. It is designed to provide irrigation to nearly 90,000 hectares of agricultural land across Kathua and Samba districts in Jammu and Kashmir, besides Pathankot and Gurdaspur districts in Punjab. The project will also supply drinking water to Kathua district and make water available for industrial use.
During the meeting, Singh described the project as one of several long-pending national infrastructure schemes that have been revived under the Narendra Modi-led government. He said the Ujh project, first conceived nearly a century ago, had remained stalled for decades, while the Shahpurkandi project had been delayed for almost four decades before work resumed.
Referring to India’s river water resources, the minister said the revival of the Ujh and Shahpurkandi projects was aimed at optimising the use of the Ravi River system. He noted that Ravi, along with the Beas and Sutlej, falls within India’s allocation under the Indus Waters Treaty, which he said is presently in abeyance.
According to the Centre, the project is expected to improve irrigation, strengthen water security, enhance agricultural productivity and create new economic opportunities in the region. It is also expected to have a strategic dimension, with the Ministry of Home Affairs supporting the project to regulate river flows along the border and reduce vulnerabilities associated with infiltration routes.
Singh reviewed the implementation milestones and called for close coordination among all agencies to ensure timely completion of the project. He assured the implementing agency of the Centre’s full support for the execution of the multipurpose project.
