Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Nov 5: Construction of a 3.6-megawatt hydropower project in the Dessu Daksum area of Kokernag in south Kashmir’s Anantnag district is nearing completion, with nearly 80 percent of the work already finished.
Once operational, officials said, the project will generate clean electricity to power around 3,000 to 3,500 households.
Executed by Kashmir valley Energy Private Limited, the project began in July 2024 and has progressed rapidly, expected to be completed well ahead of schedule.
Managing Director of the company, Junaid Makroo, said the team has completed about 800 metres of the required pipeline, while the remaining 400 metres are expected to be finished within the next two to three weeks.
“Almost 80 percent of the construction has been completed. We have laid 800 metres of the pipeline, and the remaining portion will be finished in the coming weeks,” he said.
“We are giving the finishing touches, and within about a month, the project will be commissioned. We are ahead of Government timelines-such projects are given 36 months, but we are close to completing it in just 17 months.”
Makroo said the project is expected to enter the commissioning phase within the next one and a half months, subject to weather conditions.
The construction phase has also provided employment opportunities to local residents.
Around 150 workers, both skilled and unskilled, are currently engaged at the site. “Once operational, the plant will run round the clock in three shifts, employing about 35 people per shift,” he said.
He added that most of the labourers are locals, while specialised workers have been brought in from outside.
“The major benefit of this project is not only electricity generation but also the employment it provides. Local people working with us are gaining valuable skills for future opportunities.”
Highlighting J&K’s vast hydropower potential, Makroo said renewable energy is the key to the region’s energy future.
“Thermal power is outdated now; renewable energy is the future. The potential for solar and wind energy in J&K is limited, but hydropower has immense scope-nearly 18,000 MW can be harnessed,” he said.
The project is being implemented under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model, following the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) framework.
“This hydropower project will generate enough electricity to illuminate around 3,000 to 3,500 homes annually. Hydropower is clean and sustainable-it doesn’t pollute the atmosphere or depend on coal,” Makroo said.
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