Dec 2025: Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP Tunnel Accident in Uttarakhand

December 31, 2025January 1, 2026 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Screen shot of FB video report on Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP tunnel accident)

Collision between two loco trains inside the tunnel of Vishnugad Pipalkoti HEP in Uttarakhand around 9.30 pm on Dec 30 2025 has left over 60 workers injured. The accident occurred during change in work shift about 7km inside the tunnel near the tunnel boring machine (TBM). About 109 workers were working inside the 13km long tunnel at the time of the accident. The trains are deployed to transport the workers. The 444 Mw project is being built by Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC) on Alaknanda river in Chamoli district. The construction work is going on since 2013-14.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 291225: Looking back on 2025, Looking forward to 2026

December 29, 2025December 29, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Ramganga river at Marchula on Nov. 03, 2025. SANDRP)

As the year 2025 ends, reflecting on the DRP related developments over the year and even in this last DRP of 2025, one cannot but see largely pessimistic situation for India’s Rivers, Water Bodies, Hills and Mountains, Floodplains, and for the environment in general. As we saw during South West Monsoon 2025, the flood disasters have been so severe that the number of deaths in South Ais are the highest among all climate disasters of 2025 according to the just released Christian Aid report. The spread, intensity and frequency of the disasters are only going to increase, but we, including the government and the society seems to show little sincerity in dealing with this.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 221225: Is it so difficult to understand the importance of Aravalli Mountains?

December 22, 2025December 22, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Aravalli mountain ranges along the Bewar-Jaipur stretch. Credit.)

Why is it so difficult, for the Union Govt, MoEF, its experts, but most shockingly, for the Supreme Court to understand the importance of Aravalli Mountains – India’s most ancient and ecologically sensitive range? What exactly is driving the unacceptable decision of the apex court? According to the Forest Survey of India, applying the new definition would result in only around 8.7% of the mapped Aravalli landforms being eligible for protection, leaving a substantial portion unregulated.

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Pumped Storage Projects

2025: Pump Storage Projects Developments in India

December 20, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Former SC judge N. Santosh Hegede, environmentalist Suresh Heblekar and other activists stage a protest urging the govt to abandon the Sharavati PSP on Nov. 29. Source)

2025 has seen increase in concerns and protests against pump storage projects (PSP) across the country. While citizens and experts have criticized Sharavathi PSP in Karnataka, Sillahalla PSP in Tamil Nadu, Shahbad PSP in Rajasthan, Bargi PSP in Madhya pradesh and numerous PSPs in western ghats in Maharashtra for their potential adverse impacts on forest, environment, endangered animals, the Sileru, Pedikota and Yerravaram PSPs in Andhra Pradesh faced resistance for undermining tribal and forest rights. Indeed, most of the PSPs are being proposed in sensitive region of Western Ghats and tribal dominated population endangering both the wildlife and vulnerable population.

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Dam Safety · Dams, Rivers & People · Hydro Power Projects

2025: Corruption in Dams and Hydro Projects in India

December 19, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Washed out Teesta III dam in Sikkim. Credit: Save the Hills)

In May 2025, Sikkim Vigilance Police conducted raid in several cities to probe allegations of financial corruption and fraud in 1200 Mw Teesta III HEP dam project claiming that the material gathered could unearth massive scandal that compromised the dam’s safety and led to its structural failure in Oct. 2023. The Assam GST department in Sept. 2025 has uncovered ₹8.2 cr irregularities in tax filings and transactions by the company involved in constructing the dam of 2000 Mw Subansiri Lower HEP.

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Dam Decommissioning · Dam Safety · Dams, Rivers & People

2025: Silt accumulation in Indian Dams: Reducing entry of silt is the only viable option

December 18, 2025December 18, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Luhri-I HEP muck dump along Satluj river. Credit HNA, Aug 2024)

This annual overview highlights the critical issue of siltation in dams across India. Silt accumulation is defeating the very ‘multi-purposes’ for which they were built. While the reduced storage has been hampering dam-based water supplies, it is also leading to their fast filling up and untimely releases in monsoon season thus creating avoidable floods. It is in some case has also been resulting in plans to construct additional reservoirs and increase in dam height.

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Dam Disaster · Dam Safety · Dams, Rivers & People

Kaleshwaram Project 2025: Inquiries Done, Actions Missing

December 17, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Wide crack in Medigadda (Lakshmi) barrage of Kaleshwaram. Credit: Nagara Gopal)

The year 2025 has seen revealing information on three inquiry reports highlighting how the Kalewshwaram project have become a massive failure on all fronts be it designing or implementing the dam project or even acting on probe reports. While govt seems to reverify liability of officials indicted in V&E report, it ended up seeking CBI investigation after tabling Ghose panel report in state assembly in Aug 2025. Similarly, the NDSA report is being followed only for fixing the damages while action against the responsible govt officials and private players is clearly missing.

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Dam floods · Dam Safety · Dams, Rivers & People

2025: Polavaram Project Developments

December 16, 2025December 16, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Godavari river in flood spate at Polavaram project site in Aug 2025. Source)

Amid concerns over safety and construction quality, the Polavaram project work has moved during 2025 to achieve Dec. 2027 completion target. However, not much progress has been made regarding the backwater study and addressing the issues of affected tribals and areas in Telangana, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. Meanwhile, after failing to push PBLP (Polavaram Banakacherla Link Project), the Andhra govt has proposed another contentious PNLP to divert Godavari River waters. The Stop Work order issued by the MoEF in 2011 remains suspended for all these years, making a mockery of the MoEF regulations. Wrapping up the available information, this overview shares the year-round updates on safety, progress, backwater study and linking plans related to the controversial Polavaram dam project in 2025. Our previous overview on the project can be seen here.

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Dams, Rivers & People

DRP 151225: Hydro Projects continue to provide troubling news

December 15, 2025December 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: Ongoing work at Ratle HEP in June 2025. Source)

There are troubling news reports about a number of hydropower projects, even as the hydro industry tries its best to present a positive picture. NHPC tries to say that one of its 250 MW units at the Subansiri Lower HEP is good news. However, the fact that WII’s several years old recommendation that project should not be used for peaking power generation till studies about its impact on elephant corridor are complete. But the WII recommendation presented at the National Wildlife Board over 22 months ago is yet to be implemented. The serious financial trouble that the project is in, is also apparent from its desperate attempt to use the forest land as collateral, rejected by MoEF. The closing down of the NHPC office for the Subansisi Upper HEP in Upper Subansiri district came following agitation by the students Union and others there opposing the project.

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Dam Disaster

Feb. 2025: Srisailam Dam Left Bank Tunnel Collapse Disaster

December 14, 2025December 15, 2025 SANDRPLeave a comment

(Feature Image: A rescue worker at the SLBC tunnel. Credit: Nagara Gopal)

The SLCB tunnel collapse in Feb. 2025 is among worst dam-tunnel disaster this year in India. The incident occurred just four days after resuming tunneling work after a long halt killing at least 8 workers. Despite, two-month long multi agency search operation only two bodies were retrieved while mortals of six still remain buried inside the tunnel. The TBM involved in tunnelling has also been damaged. Given risky situation the rescue work was stopped in April end and there is no update on the same so far. Nearly 10 months after the disaster, there is no official report probing the reasons and addressing the concerns over inadequate geological, geotechnical inspections.

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