The under construction Shongtong-Karchham Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh has suffered a tunnel leakage incident around 10:00 pm on November 16, 2024.
The sudden gushing water from Adit 2 tunnel of the project near Ralli village flooded the Reckong Peo-Rampur National Highway (NH) 22 with debris in huge amount resulting in closure of highway and causing long traffic jam on both sides. The number of labourers working inside the tunnel is unknown, but reports mention they were recused safely.
As per News Himachal report hearing about the incident, the local residents, rushed to the site to assist and alert the administration. Their quick response helped mitigate further risks and ensured that information reached officials without delay. The administration deployed machines to restore the road. Commuters were asked to follow the alternative route until the highway was cleared.
So far there is no information available in media on the reasons behind the incident. Reports mention that investigation is underway to determine the cause of the leakage.
The 450 Mw project is being developed by the Himachal Pradesh Power Corporation Limited (HPPCL) on Satluj river in Kalpa tehsil of Kinnuar and the tunnel construction work is being done by Patel Engineering a Maharashtra based company. The barrage site of the HEP is proposed near Powari village and the powerhouse is to be built near Ralli village on NH- 22 near confluence Baspa and Sutlej rivers. The EIA report of the project can be seen here.
When SANDRP tried to reach out HPPCL official for the project to seek more information regarding the incident, we found the contact number mentioned on its website is not working. Patel Engineering has not provided any number to be contacted for the project on its website.
Similarly, we have not found any information made public by these companies about the tunnel leakage incident. However, Shashank Gupta, SDM Kalpa told us that excessive blasting could be reason behind the leakage in the tunnel. “There is no loss of life. The road has been restored. The company was aware that leakage could happen as they were using blasting, and officials were able to control it timely”, stated the SDM.
It is worth to mention that the under-construction project has repeatedly been facing such accidents and disasters. Before this, 2 workers were killed in the project when the trolley they were using overturned inside the tunnel near Ralli. In November 2015 too, 2 workers were killed and half a dozen got injured due to blasting work in same project tunnel.
Also, the Kinnaur district has been witnessing hydro power projects related disaster frequently. In this SANDRP’s photo blog Sumit Mahar of HIMDHARA highlights the adverse impacts of blasting and tunneling by hydro projects in Kinnaur district. Another report by HIMDHARA here details on three hydro project related accidents including at Shongthong Karchham HEP taking place in Kinnaur district in November 2015.
In May 2022 too, a tunnel accident in 100 Mw Tidong HEP killed 2 workers and injured 3 others in Murang tehsil of Kinnaur district. Before this a burst in penstock of 100 Mw Sorang HEP in in Bhava Nagar sub-division of Kinnaur district caused wide spread damages to land and livelihood of Burang villagers. The common element in all of these avoidable disasters as suggested by reports time and again is deliberate negligence being exercised by the hydro power project companies in the district. No post disaster reports are available for any of these disasters earlier, no accountability has been fixed.
Bhim Singh Rawat (bhim.sandrp@gmail.com)
POST SCRIPT: 1. Later, a portion of the highway was swept away by the huge amount of water that leaked from the tunnel, leading to road closure and traffic jam. The water leaked from the adit tunnel-2 of the Shongtong hydro project.
https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/shimla/major-water-leakage-from-shongtong-karcham-hydropower-project-damages-national-highway-in-himachal-pradesh/articleshow/115395729.cms Nov 18 2024
References:
2 https://ndtv.in/india/himachal-pradesh-tunnel-leak-of-shongtong-karcham-hydroelectric-project-in-kinnaur-7038052
3 https://thenewshimachal.com/2024/11/debris-blocks-nh-in-kinnaur-after-tunnel-water-leakage/
4 https://sandrp.in/2022/06/22/fatal-disaster-at-shongtong-hydro-in-himachal-pradesh-in-june-2022/
7 https://sandrp.in/2015/11/22/sorang-hydropower-disaster-will-we-learn-any-lessons/
SANDRP 
Will our Indian Himalayas sustain such amount of pressure and negligence and literally handled by incompetent experts coming from another state with probably zero knowledge about the terrain and topography of the western Himalayan region?
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