PUNJAB: After 45 years of delay, India has finally stopped Ravi river water from flowing into Pakistan by completing the Shahpur Kandi barrage in Punjab’s Pathankot district. This project was stuck in bureaucratic red tape and state disputes, allowing Pakistan to receive Indian water for decades.
Under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, India has exclusive rights over the Ravi, Sutlej, and Beas rivers, while Pakistan controls the Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab. However, since the Shahpur Kandi barrage was incomplete, a significant portion of Ravi’s water continued flowing into Pakistan—until now.
The plan to block Ravi’s flow dates back to 1979, when Punjab and Jammu and Kashmir signed an agreement to build the Ranjit Sagar Dam and the Shahpur Kandi barrage. While the Ranjit Sagar Dam was completed in 2001, the barrage remained unfinished due to political disputes. Even after it was declared a national project in 2008, work was delayed until 2013, only to be stalled again in 2014. It took central intervention in 2018 to resolve the issue and finally complete the barrage.
Now, instead of flowing into Pakistan, 1,150 cusecs of water will irrigate 32,000 hectares of farmland in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua and Samba districts. Additionally, the region will receive 20% of the hydel power generated from the dam’s 206 MW capacity.
Standing 55.5 metres high, the Shahpur Kandi Dam is a multi-purpose river valley project that benefits Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, and Rajasthan. With its completion, India has not only secured its rightful water but also strengthened its agricultural and energy sectors.
