Mohinder Verma
JAMMU, Aug 4: Prime Minister, Narendra Modi is visiting Ladakh on August 12 to lay foundation stone of the much delayed Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line and inaugurate two hydro-electric projects—Chutak in Kargil and Nimoo Bazgo in Leh district.
This would be second visit of Mr Modi to Jammu and Kashmir after becoming Prime Minister of the country. On his first visit, he had inaugurated Udhampur-Katra railway line and Uri-II hydro-electric project in Baramulla district. Like these two important projects, the inauguration of Chutak and Nimoo Bazgo projects and laying of foundation stone of Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line faced prolonged delay because of least interest of the previous Government at the Centre.
Authoritative sources told EXCELSIOR that Prime Minister’s Office has conveyed to the Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) and National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) that Narendra Modi would lay the foundation stone of Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line and inaugurate Chutak and Nimoo Bazgo projects on August 12.
“All the three projects assume much importance for the Ladakh region as on one side transmission line will connect cold desert region with the Northern Grid and solve the power crisis and on the other side both the hydro-electric projects would be able to generate electricity up to their full capacity”, sources said.
The Srinagar-Leh Transmission Line was first announced by the then Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee in August 2003 during his three day visit to the State. This line was part of economic package announced by Mr Vajpayee for Jammu and Kashmir and at that time the cost of transmission line was projected at Rs 300 crore.
Soon after Mr Vajpayee’s announcement, Power Grid Corporation of India Limited, which has expertise in laying transmission lines particularly in heavy snow zones, started survey for the project and within shortest possible time came up with the detailed note indicating every aspect of the transmission line. However, no further progress could be made vis-à-vis starting work on the project and the file continued to gather dust in the official records due to change of the guard at the Centre.
After seven years, the project again attracted the attention of the Union Government albeit due to the intense pressure from the leadership of Ladakh region, which was going to be major beneficiary of the transmission line. In the month of July 2010, the then Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh made announcement about the start of the work on the project during his two-day high-profile visit to Jammu and Kashmir.
At that time, an amount of Rs 100 crore was announced for immediate start of work. But much to the surprise of people of Ladakh region, even this announcement failed to see light of the day and no significant progress could be made vis-à-vis laying of transmission line between Srinagar and Leh.
Now over a decade after its first announcement, work on the project is going to begin with the laying of foundation stone by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 12.
“The cost of the project, which was worked out at Rs 300 crore in 2003 has increased considerably owing to escalation in prices of the material to be used in laying of transmission line and now it would be completed at a cost of Rs 1707 crore”, sources informed.
There would be four Sub-Stations at Drass, Kargil, Khaltsi and Leh of this 220 KV single circuit 330 kilometer long transmission line and the project would be completed within 48 months, sources informed, adding underground cables would be laid in nine kilometer stretch at Zojila in order to avoid damage to the transmission line during heavy snowfall. The towers of the transmission line would be specially designed keeping in view the heavy snow zones from where it will have to pass.
According to the sources, 44 Mega Watts Chutak hydro-electric project in Kargil district and 45 Mega Watts Nimoo Bazgo hydro-electric project in Leh have already been generating electricity although not up to full capacity because of load problems.
“Only few areas are getting electricity from these two projects for want of proper distribution network and efforts are on to lay the same within shortest possible time so that people of both the district could obtain optimum benefit of these projects”, sources said.
Chutak project is located on river Suru in Kargil district and the Barrage is located near village Sarzhe (upstream of village Chechatang). The project has the capacity to generate 212.93 Million Units in a 90% dependable year.
Nimoo Bazgo project is on river Indus and is located in village Alchi. This project has the capacity to generate 239.33 Million Units in a 90% dependable year.
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