In a major policy move following the abeyance of the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), the Central Government has ordered the start of work on the long-pending Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project on the Chenab river in Jammu and Kashmir’s Udhampur and Ramban districts, with an estimated cost of Rs 5,129 crore.

The revival of the project was announced in October 2025, a few months after the IWT was put in abeyance in the aftermath of the April terror attack in Pahalgam that claimed 26 civilian lives. Environmental clearance for the project was recommended later the same month, clearing a major hurdle for its execution.

Stalled for nearly four decades, Sawalkote is among the largest hydropower projects planned in the Chenab basin and forms a key part of India’s strategy to maximise utilisation of its permitted share of western river waters through run-of-the-river power generation.

Under the 1960 treaty framework, Ravi, Beas and Sutlej were allocated for India’s exclusive use, while Indus, Jhelum and Chenab were designated as western rivers, with India allowed limited non-consumptive uses such as hydropower generation, navigation and fisheries.

The Sawalkote project, with a total planned capacity of 1,856 MW, will be developed in two stages — 1,406 MW in Stage-I and 450 MW in Stage-II. It is designed as a run-of-the-river scheme and will be located between the Baglihar project upstream and the Salal project downstream on the Chenab river.

NHPC Ltd has invited bids for construction works, marking the formal start of the project rollout. Authorities plan to execute the scheme on a fast-track basis, though full completion is expected to take around nine years.

The approval follows clearance by the Environment Ministry’s Expert Committee last year as part of a broader push to accelerate strategically important infrastructure projects after the IWT suspension.

The Centre has also fast-tracked multiple other hydropower projects in the Chenab basin. The 1,000 MW Pakal Dul and 624 MW Kiru projects are targeted for commissioning by December 2026. The Kwar project, featuring a 109-metre dam, is expected to be completed by March 2028, while the 850 MW Ratle project is also scheduled for completion by 2028.

Additionally, Dulhasti Stage-II has received environmental clearance and is moving ahead, further strengthening hydropower capacity in the region.

The Jammu and Kashmir Government has prepared a comprehensive Vision Document aimed at overhauling labour welfare and governance across the Union Territory, with a major proposal to make Variable Dearness Allowance (VDA) an integral component of minimum wages to protect workers from inflation.

The information was shared in the Legislative Assembly by the Labour and Employment Department in response to a query raised by legislator Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami.

According to the Government, the Vision Document is based on the recommendations of a committee constituted in April 2024 to examine key labour welfare issues. It lays out a strategic framework to strengthen labour administration and worker protection through multiple reforms.

Key proposals include stricter enforcement of labour laws, modernization of inspection systems through a Central Automated Inspection mechanism, and improvements in conciliation and quasi-judicial processes to ensure quicker resolution of labour disputes.

The document also stresses scientific and regular revision of minimum wages, enhanced awareness of labour rights through information and education campaigns, capacity building of departmental staff, elimination of child and bonded labour, and promotion of skill development aligned with emerging employment sectors.

A major highlight is the planned incorporation of VDA into minimum wages to offset inflation and safeguard the real income of workers. The Government said the document is currently under examination and will be aligned with the new Central Labour Codes. The inclusion of VDA will be implemented in a phased and time-bound manner.

Addressing concerns about delays in financial assistance to dependents of deceased registered labourers, the Government said it is sensitive to the hardships faced by such families and remains committed to timely and dignified support. It explained that delays are largely due to statutory requirements, including the mandatory 90 days of employment for registration and verification needed for renewal.

Authorities stated that strict verification is necessary to maintain beneficiary authenticity and protect public funds, even though the process is rigorous.

Following the enforcement of four new Central Labour Codes from November 21, 2025, replacing 29 earlier labour laws, new welfare boards are to be constituted, including National and State Social Security Boards and a Building and Other Construction Workers’ Welfare Board. Clarifications have been sought regarding continued disbursements during the transition period.

Despite the transition, the J&K Building and Other Construction Workers Welfare Board continues core functions such as worker registration, labour card issuance, and renewals. A board meeting chaired by the Chief Minister in July 2025 approved major welfare disbursements, with over Rs 6,764 lakh spent on education, health, and other assistance during the 2025–26 financial year up to December.

On wage compliance, the department said regular inspections and enforcement drives are conducted to ensure employers follow notified wage rates. Minimum wages revised in October 2022 remain in force, and revisions are undertaken periodically with intervals not exceeding five years to keep pace with inflation and living costs.

केंद्र सरकार ने सोपोर–कुपवाड़ा नई रेल लाइन परियोजना को अव्यवहारिक पाए जाने के बाद रद्द कर दिया है। यह जानकारी रेल, सूचना एवं प्रसारण तथा इलेक्ट्रॉनिक्स एवं आईटी मंत्री अश्विनी वैष्णव ने शुक्रवार को राज्यसभा में एक प्रश्न के लिखित उत्तर में दी।

मंत्री ने बताया कि श्रीनगर–बारामूला रेल खंड की कनेक्टिविटी को आगे बढ़ाने के लिए 34 किलोमीटर लंबी सोपोर–कुपवाड़ा नई लाइन का सर्वे और विस्तृत परियोजना रिपोर्ट (DPR) तैयार की गई थी, लेकिन व्यवहार्यता के आधार पर इसे आगे नहीं बढ़ाया गया।

उन्होंने कहा कि सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रों में रेल संपर्क मजबूत करने के उद्देश्य से दो अन्य परियोजनाओं की DPR तैयार की गई है। इनमें काजीगुंड–श्रीनगर–बडगाम रेल खंड का दोहरीकरण (118 किमी) और बारामूला–उरी नई रेल लाइन (40 किमी) शामिल हैं।

वैष्णव ने स्पष्ट किया कि DPR तैयार होने के बाद किसी भी रेल परियोजना को मंजूरी देने के लिए राज्य सरकारों सहित विभिन्न हितधारकों से परामर्श और नीति आयोग व वित्त मंत्रालय जैसी संस्थाओं से स्वीकृति आवश्यक होती है। चूंकि परियोजनाओं की स्वीकृति एक सतत और गतिशील प्रक्रिया है, इसलिए निश्चित समयसीमा बताना संभव नहीं है।

मंत्री ने हाल ही में शुरू हुई 272 किलोमीटर लंबी उधमपुर–श्रीनगर–बारामूला रेल लिंक (USBRL) परियोजना का भी उल्लेख किया। उन्होंने कहा कि इस परियोजना से उधमपुर, रियासी, रामबन, श्रीनगर, अनंतनाग, पुलवामा, बडगाम और बारामूला जिलों को सीधा रेल संपर्क मिला है।

उन्होंने बताया कि USBRL परियोजना का क्षेत्र के सामाजिक और आर्थिक विकास पर बड़ा प्रभाव पड़ा है और इससे पांच करोड़ से अधिक मानव-दिवस का रोजगार सृजित हुआ है। परियोजना के तहत 215 किलोमीटर से अधिक पहुंच मार्ग, एक सुरंग और लगभग 320 छोटे पुल भी बनाए गए हैं, जिससे स्थानीय आबादी की कनेक्टिविटी और जीवन स्तर में सुधार हुआ है।

मंत्री ने कहा कि घाटी को देश के बाकी रेल नेटवर्क से हर मौसम में विश्वसनीय और आरामदायक रेल संपर्क मिलने से पर्यटन क्षेत्र को भी बड़ा बढ़ावा मिलेगा।

The proposed Sopore–Kupwara new railway line project in north Kashmir has been dropped after being found infeasible, even though a survey was conducted and a Detailed Project Report (DPR) had been prepared, the government informed the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

In a written reply to a question, Union Minister for Railways, Information & Broadcasting and Electronics & Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw said the 34-km Sopore–Kupwara new line was initially sanctioned to extend rail connectivity of the existing Srinagar–Baramulla section, but was later abandoned due to feasibility issues.

The minister said that to further enhance rail connectivity, particularly in border regions, DPRs have been prepared for two other projects — doubling of the Qazigund–Srinagar–Budgam section (118 km) and a new rail line from Baramulla to Uri (40 km).

He clarified that after preparation of DPRs, sanctioning of railway projects requires consultations with multiple stakeholders, including state governments, and statutory approvals such as appraisal by NITI Aayog and the Ministry of Finance. Since project approvals are part of a continuous and dynamic process, fixed timelines cannot be specified, he added.

Highlighting the recently commissioned Udhampur–Srinagar–Baramulla Rail Link (USBRL), Vaishnaw said the 272-km-long project now connects districts including Udhampur, Reasi, Ramban, Srinagar, Anantnag, Pulwama, Budgam and Baramulla.

The minister noted that the USBRL project has made significant socio-economic contributions to Jammu and Kashmir, generating over five crore man-days of employment. He added that more than 215 km of approach roads have been constructed under the project, including tunnels and around 320 small bridges, greatly improving connectivity for local populations.

“With the all-weather, reliable and comfortable rail connectivity of the Kashmir valley with the rest of the Indian Railways network, tourism will receive a major boost,” the minister said.

PDP president Mehbooba Mufti on Friday urged the Centre to establish a dedicated fruit corridor through a railway link for the smooth transportation of horticulture produce from Kashmir to the rest of the country, while calling for railway projects to be aligned away from fertile orchard land.

In a letter to Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, Mufti requested a specialised rail network focused on fruit transport, citing frequent disruptions and unpredictability of the national highway that hamper timely movement of produce.

Sharing the letter on her X handle, the former Jammu and Kashmir chief minister thanked the Railway Ministry for keeping certain rail projects passing through orchards in abeyance, saying the decision has brought relief to lakhs of farming families.

“Farmers are not opposed to railway connectivity. On the contrary, a dedicated fruit corridor through a reliable rail network is urgently needed, particularly given the unpredictability and frequent disruptions of the national highway,” she wrote.

Mufti stressed that infrastructure development must be balanced with sustainability and should prioritise barren and uncultivable land instead of productive farmland. She called for a fresh assessment and realignment of proposed railway projects along unproductive land to safeguard livelihoods.

She also demanded rail connectivity for the Chenab Valley and Pir Panjal regions from Jammu, describing these areas as resource-rich and strategically important but economically constrained due to weak surface connectivity.

“Like the rest of India, Kashmir lives in its villages where most farmers are marginal landholders with no alternative income source. Rising unemployment among educated youth has further increased dependence on agriculture,” she said.

Mufti noted that many farmers have recently shifted to high-density and capital-intensive horticulture, and uncertainty over rail project alignments has created fear about the safety of their investments. She urged authorities to scrap current alignments affecting orchards and redesign them to protect fertile land.

She said such a move would reduce anxiety among growers and help safeguard the livelihoods of nearly 1.5 million families dependent on agriculture and horticulture in the Valley.