New Delhi, February 8 (MNN): In a significant move, the Government of India has fast-tracked a major hydroelectric project on the Chenab River in Jammu and Kashmir following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan. According to reports, the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) has issued a tender worth ₹5,129 crore for the Sawalkote Hydroelectric Project in Ramban district.

The Sawalkote project, planned on the Chenab River, is among the largest hydroelectric ventures in the region and is expected to generate 1,856 megawatts of electricity. The project is considered important as part of India’s broader strategy to utilize the waters of the Indus system allocated to it under the Indus Waters Treaty.

Following the Pahalgam terror attack, the Indus Waters Treaty has remained in abeyance since April 2026. The treaty, signed in 1960 and brokered by the World Bank, governs the sharing of the Indus river system between India and Pakistan. India has full rights over the eastern rivers (Ravi, Beas and Sutlej), while Pakistan controls about 80 percent of the flow of the western rivers (Indus, Jhelum and Chenab), with India permitted limited use for hydropower generation.

As of February 2026, despite the ceasefire, the treaty remains stalled, enabling India to accelerate Chenab-based projects such as Sawalkote without restrictions. According to a CNN-News18 report, bids for the dam, tunnels and associated works will open on March 12 and close on March 20. The bids will remain valid for 180 days as per tender rules. The project has a construction timeline of 3,285 days, indicating a multi-year execution period.