22% rise in Jhelum’s carrying capacity after Phase-I works: Govt

Idrees Bukhtiyar
Comments 0
21 Feb 2026

Srinagar, Feb 21: The Jammu and Kashmir government said that significant progress has been achieved under the post-2014 Flood Management Programme in the Valley, with Phase-I works substantially completed and Phase-II works underway at multiple locations. Replying to a question in the Legislative Assembly raised by Gulmarg MLA Farooq Ahmad Shah, the Minister Incharge of the Jal Shakti Department said that a three-member core group was constituted by the Ministry of Water Resources (River Development & Ganga Rejuvenation) on September 18, 2014, following the devastating floods in Kashmir, to prepare a roadmap for flood management in the valley. The core group had recommended measures under three categories - immediate, short-term and long-term interventions. Under the immediate measures, the department undertook urgent protection works and restoration of damages caused by the September 2014 floods. As many as 4,555 breaches and vulnerable spots were restored, including 3,320 on a temporary basis and 1,235 permanently, using funds from the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and other sources. The minister said the government had earlier submitted a draft plan to the Union Ministry of Water Resources for the “Comprehensive Flood Management of River Jhelum & its Tributaries” at an estimated cost of ₹2,083.90 crore. The project was sanctioned in 2015 under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP). As per the Central Water Commission’s instructions, the Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) were framed in two phases. Phase-I of the project, costing ₹399.29 crore, was taken up in 2015-16 and now stands substantially completed. The minister informed the House that the safe flood carrying capacity of the River Jhelum in the Srinagar reach has been enhanced from 31,800 cusecs to 41,000 cusecs - an increase of 22 per cent. Major bottlenecks in the Flood Spill Channel (FSC) were also removed at Shariefabad and Naidkhai, doubling the carrying capacity at the offtake of the FSC from 4,000 to 8,700 cusecs. Against the sanctioned cost of ₹399.29 crore (GoI share ₹234.44 crore and UT share ₹164.85 crore), funds to the tune of ₹328.02 crore were released - ₹224.22 crore as central share and ₹103.80 crore as UT share. The total expenditure incurred so far stands at ₹327.04 crore (GoI: ₹223.96 crore; UT: ₹103.08 crore). Phase-II (Part A) of the project, costing ₹1,623.43 crore, was approved by the Ministry of Water Resources in March 2022. Under this phase, 31 bank protection and anti-erosion works worth ₹276.61 crore are under execution, out of which 16 works have been completed. Additionally, two regulatory gates at the Hokersar wetland have been completed and commissioned at a cost of ₹28.45 crore. For Phase-II, against the sanctioned cost of ₹1,623.43 crore (GoI share ₹1,303.06 crore; UT share ₹320.37 crore), funds amounting to ₹220.97 crore have been released so far - ₹174.705 crore as central share and ₹46.27 crore as UT share. An expenditure of ₹160.563 crore has been incurred to date. Responding to a separate query regarding expenditure since April 2025, the minister said no fresh expenditure has been formally booked. However, work-done claims amounting to ₹70 crore are in process for payment following the recent release of ₹60.4125 crore as the GoI share. The minister said the department is continuing with the implementation of flood mitigation works aimed at reducing flood vulnerability in the valley, particularly along the Jhelum and its tributaries.