Garhwal rail link a threat to hydropower plants: experts

For majority of the leaders in backward Garhwal region of Uttarakhand, a train to Karanprayag is a must as it opens doors of development and prosperity.

For India, a rail link to Garhwal region is of strategic importance because of its close proximity to Tibet. But the 125-km-long Rishikesh-Karanprayag proposed rail link, the foundation stone for which was laid on Wednesday at Gauchar jointly by Union defence minister A K Antony and Union railways minister Dinesh Trivedi, would also create a death knell for the vast hydropower potential in the region, experts say. This is because old railway surveys hardly visualise the emerging hydropower scene in the hill state as the entire rail link is based on the surveys along the rivers Ganga and Alaknanda only.

For Uttarakhand, rivers Alaknanda and Kali are very important in terms of hydropower potential especially after the Centre last year declared a vast 135-km-long eco-sensitive zone in the Bhagirathi valley owing to mounting environment and religious concerns and scrapped three big hydel projects.

“The railways must carry a fresh survey in order to maintain a balance between the hydropower projects and new rail network,” said a top official of a private company which is developing a big hydel project on the river Alaknanda. “Hydropower is green and cheap and we must harness our vast water resources to the fullest,” said a top official of the government-run UJVN which is constructing a series of hydropower projects on the river Alaknanda.

According to a government estimate, the state has more than 30,000 mw of power potential, most of which remains untapped so far. An engineer of Larsen and Toubro , which is constructing the 99 mw Singholi Bhatwari hydel project on Mandakini river, has suggested an alternative route for train to Karanprayag. “Instead of following Kali and Alaknanda rivers, we must carry fresh survey on Kosi river starting from Ramnagar in Kumaon region. This route is 130 km long and will not jeopardise the hydropower sector also,” said the engineer.

Similarly, the proposed 154 km long Tanakpur-Bageshwar rail link will also jeopardise the mega 6,000 mw Pancheshwar dam which is jointly being developed by India and Nepal on Kali river at Uttarakhand-Nepal border areas.

When contacted, state principal secretary, energy, Alok Kumar Jain said he would study the matter carefully before taking any step.