Adil Lateef
SRINAGAR, Dec 11: Jammu and Kashmir State Power Development Corporation (JKSPDC) is awaiting preparation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) from a Delhi-based firm for the restoration of defunct Mohra power house in Uri town of North Kashmir’s Baramulla district.
One of the oldest hydro-electric houses in South Asia, Mohra power house in Uri is lying defunct since 1992. The 9 MW Mohra power house was developed in early 1905 during the era of Maharaja Hari Singh and until 1992 it was operational. However, it became defunct following generational loss and subsequent increase in repairing costs in the aftermath of 1992 floods. The heritage project was constructed by European engineers in 1902-03 on the left bank of the river Jhelum on Srinagar-Muzaffarabad road at Boniyar in Uri.
While no attention was being paid towards the heritage Mohra power house by authorities for years, the JKSPDC in 2015 finally hired the Delhi-based consultant firm, Synergic India Limited, for upgradation of Detailed Project Report (DPR) to revive this prestigious project in view of its heritage value.
Managing Director, JKSPDC, Dr Shah Faesal told Excelsior that the Synergic India is preparing the DPR since beginning of this year and the Corporation expect the firm to complete it by second week of January 2018. “There were some complications and that is why it has taken so much time in preparing the DPR,” he said.
Faesal said that if the firm fails to prepare the DPR on time then the JKSPDC would itself do the same. He said after the DPR is finalized, the process of the tendering would be initiated. “We are planning to propose the project under Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP). The restoration process would take at least four years because we have to restore it from zero. We have to take care of its heritage aspects because it is a heritage project and one of the oldest power houses. So, we have also to preserve the heritage. Though it will take time but work would be started in year 2018,” he said.
Sources said that the DPR preparation for the restoration of the Mohra power house faced roadblock in the beginning after NHPC Limited refused to provide water supply. “They categorically told us that we won’t give any water,” sources said, adding that the JKSPDC took up the matter at the highest level and subsequently, the Director Technical, NHPC agreed to provide water supply and asked the JKSPDC to go ahead with the DPR. The NHPC Limited, according to the sources, has also agreed to give additional water supply to the Mohra power house.
The JKSPDC MD said that the Government has decided to enhance the generational capacity of the Mohra power house from 9MW to 12MW. “We would enhance the generational capacity to 12 MW. Earlier, it was only 9MW and the enhancing decision is also one of the reasons that led to the delay in process of the restoration of this project. Other reasons include consultant issue but now the process is in motion and we are expecting start of the work by next year,” Faesal added.
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