Government Approves Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project in Himachal Pradesh

¨     The Government of India approved the Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project in May 2026.

¨     It is one of the major river-related infrastructure projects proposed in Himachal Pradesh.

¨     The project has an estimated cost of ₹2,352 crore.

¨     The project involves the construction of an 8.7-kilometre tunnel to divert surplus water from the Chenab Basin to the Beas River system.

¨     It is linked to the Indus River System, which includes the Chenab, Jhelum, Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej rivers.

¨     The first phase includes the construction of a 19-metre-high dam on the Chandra River near Koksar village in the Lahaul Valley.

¨     The Chandra River is a tributary of the upper Chenab Basin in the western Himalayas.

¨     NHPC Limited will implement the project.

¨     The project is expected to generate approximately 4,000 MW of additional hydropower capacity in Himachal Pradesh.

¨     The initiative is aimed at improving water-resource utilization, strengthening river-basin management, and enhancing hydropower generation.

¨     India suspended the Indus Waters Treaty with Pakistan in April 2025.

¨     Signed in 1960, the treaty governs the sharing of waters of the Indus River system between India and Pakistan.

¨  The Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project is being viewed in the broader context of optimizing India's use of waters within the Indus basin.