Kullu: The work of the Parvati Project in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh, which aims to supply electricity to 10 states, has neared its completion, with preparations underway for its inauguration by PM Narendra Modi.
Former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid its foundation stone on December 12, 1999, and the construction work started in 2001. Initially, NHPC had set a target to complete work by 2007, but due to many problems during construction, the target could not be achieved. As the construction work got delayed, it led to a cost overrun.
Currently, the trials for power generation are underway at the project site where four turbines of 200MW each have been installed, which are being run in turns. The project will supply power to Chandigarh, Delhi, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, West Bengal and Uttar Pradesh to meet their shortfall.
Cracks in the hills in Siund near Sainj in Kullu district delayed the project completion from 2007 to 2014, which was further extended several times due to other obstructions. Work remained suspended for four years after the tunnel boring machine got stuck in the Barshini tunnel.
By constructing a 32-km-long tunnel, water from the Parvati River, Hurla, and Manihar Nala has been diverted into it. In the initial phase, the total cost of the project was estimated at Rs 3,919 crores, but due to the repeated delays, it swelled to Rs 13,045 crores.
"The construction work of the Parvati project in Kullu is now complete. The trial of turbines has started on March 15. About 800 MW of electricity will be generated from all four turbines. The trial will be conducted till the first week of April, followed by the inauguration," Nirmal Singh, the project director, said.
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