Ratle power project in J&K set to face 2-yr delay

THE hopes of relief from power outages in electricity-deficit Jammu and Kashmir have dimmed as the 850-MW Ratle hydroelectric power project in Kishtwar district is set to face a delay of more than two years in its commissioning.

- FAYAZ WANI @ Srinagar

Harpal Singh, joint chief operating officer (CEO) of Hyderabad-based firm Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited (MEIL), which is executing the Ratle project, told this newspaper that the project completion would be delayed by at least two years “due to political interference over the years. He added, “The delay could be more than two years if disruptions continue.”

The ₹3,700-crore project, a joint venture between J&K government and NHPC, is being constructed on the Chenab. The project was awarded to MEIL in April 2022 and the company was supposed to complete it by September 2026.