Over Rs 9300 cr tariff arrears yet to be recovered
4 projects of Ladakh at advanced stage of awarding
Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Mar 12: Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir will generate 1709 Mega Watts of more electricity in next four years with the completion of five hydro-electric projects, which are being executed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited (CVPPL) and Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation (JKPDC).
This information was provided by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Power, New and Renewable Energy R K Singh in the Lok Sabha today in response to a question of National Conference Member of Parliament Hasnain Masoodi.
“At present, five hydroelectric projects (above 25 Mega Watt) aggregating to 1709.50 Mega Watt are under construction in Jammu and Kashmir and these will be completed within next four years”, the Union Minister informed the Lok Sabha.
He disclosed that 1000 Mega Watt Pakal Dul Hydroelectric Project being executed by Chenab Valley Power Projects Limited in Kishtwar district over Marusadar-a tributary of Chenab River is likely to be completed by December 2024.
Similarly, 624 Mega Watts of Kiru Hydroelectric Project also on Chenab River in Kishtwar district will be completed by September 2024. This project is also being executed by CVPPL, which is a Joint Venture of Central Public Sector Undertaking and State Public Sector Undertaking, the Minister further said.
According to the Union Minister, 37.50 Mega Watt Parnai project in Poonch district being executed by Jammu and Kashmir Power Development Corporation will be completed by February 2022 while as 48 Mega Watt Lower Kalnai Hydroelectric Project in Kishtwar district will be completed during 2023-24 subject to restart of the work.
It is pertinent to mention here that State Administrative Council (SAC) had on June 20, 2019 terminated EPC contract with M/s Coastal Projects Limited and PMC contract with M/s ICCS-Rodic Consultants Consortium as per the provisions of the contract agreement after their failure to execute Lower Kalnai project as per the timelines.
Now, Detailed Project Report is to be revised to exclude the work already executed and to include only the balance works. Moreover, the DPR is required to be updated to the present price level and thereafter the balance work will be re-tendered.
About the steps taken for up-gradation of 6.6 KV power transformers to 33 KV power transformers in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Union Power Minister said, “the distribution of electricity falls under the purview of the UT Government and it is the responsibility of respective distribution utilities to upgrade and strengthen distribution systems including the transformers to ensure quality and reliable power to all consumers”.
“The Government of India is assisting the UT under various ongoing schemes such as Integrated Power Distribution Scheme (IPDS) and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gram Jyoti Yojana (DDUGJY) for creation/augmentation of sub-transmission and distribution infrastructure, metering of distribution transformers, feeders and consumers, underground and aerial bunched cables including IT enablement of distribution infrastructure etc”, he added.
When asked about electricity dues of various Government departments, private companies and general consumers in the UT of Jammu and Kashmir, the Power Minister said, “as per the information provided by the Power Development Department of J&K, power tariff arrears worth Rs 9321.71 crore —-Rs 3274.40 crore from Kashmir valley and Rs 6047.31 crore from Jammu province are yet to be recovered from different categories of consumers”.
Of this, an amount of Rs 5935 crore is to be recovered from State and Central Government Departments by Kashmir Power District Corporation Limited and Jammu Power Distribution Corporation Limited. Similarly, an amount of Rs 1462.33 crore is to be recovered from industrial and commercial consumers while as 1924.34 crore from the domestic consumers.
Meanwhile, in reply to the question of Member of Parliament from Ladakh Jamyang Tsering Namgyal about Zanskar and Nubra power transmission line projects, the Union Power Minister said that four transmission projects sent by the then Government of Jammu and Kashmir on October 25, 2016 under the Prime Minister’s Development Package are in advanced stage of awarding.
The work of design of 4 transmission towers and 9 foundations had been awarded to the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited and the same has been completed in the month of February this year, the Minister said, adding the fabrication of prototype sample towers as per design had been awarded to M/s Unitech in December 2019 and the same is targeted to be completed by April 5, 2020.
Similarly, the testing of fabricated prototype sample towers had been awarded to M/s Structural Engineering and Research Centre, Government of India in December 2019 and the testing is targeted to be completed by April 15 this year.
The tenders for selection of Engineering Procurement and Construction contractors for Drass to Padum and Phyang to Diskit transmission lines and associated two sub-stations had already been floated in October 2019 and November 2019 respectively and bidding process for award is targeted to be completed by end of current month, the Minister said.
He further informed the Lok Sabha that earlier on the request of J&K Power Development Department, the route of Zanskar transmission line was changed due to right of way issues resulting in change in route alignment. Further, there was change in technical specifications due to topographical conditions, heavy snowfall and avalanche prone area.
“In the light of these aspects, the Power Development Department has revised the cost of works and Ministry is working out the modalities for mobilising additional resources for completion of the project”, R K Singh said.
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