(Feature Image: Search operation being conducted at Pakal Dul HEP dam site. Source: Screengrab of PNA.)
One worker has been killed; one went missing while two others sustained minor injuries following a landslide at the head race tunnel (HRT) site of Pakal Dul Hydro Electric Power (HEP) Project near Drangdhuran village in Dachan tehsil under Kishtwar district of Jammu & Kashmir as per available reports.
The incident occurred amid heavy rains in the area during intervening night of March 15-16, 2026. The four workers were carrying out loading activities at Drangdhuran (Dangduru) the dam site of the project when they were hit by rocks and boulders originating from uphill. Two workers including a poclain operator were buried under tons of debris while two others managed to save their lives with minor injuries.
The landslide has also left a poclain machine and a tipper at the site in severely mangled condition. The dead body of the poclain operator identified as Nawaz Ahmed, son of Mohd Ashraf, resident Marmat in Doda was recovered after the rescue operation started by project company and the local police.
The body of Noshad Ahmed, son of Din Mohd, resident of Palmar in Kishtwar remained missing as per the update available upto March 17 afternoon, though some reports have mentioned of two casualties in the incident. The injured Arif Hussain from Nagseni and Ishaq Ahmed from Paddar were provided treatment at Kishtwar hospital.
This video by PNA reveals some basic information about the incident including scale and reason behind the landslide. It shows the dam site is just below the steep and precarious hill terrain and mentions about a similar landslide there few months back which fortunately caused no damage to project men and machineries. It suggests that the landslide started close to the area uphill where a project road is being built.
So far, the CVPPPL has not shared any official information about the incident in public domain. We also could not find the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report of the project. Before this, two engineers engaged in construction of the same project were killed in a landslide incident in the area in February 2019.
In March 2022, the inhabitants of three villages feared that the construction work of project dam could trigger landslides and damage their houses. As per DDC chairperson Kishtwar Pooja Thakur some 50 houses in Dangduru village and 20 in Kharipaknoo were under the danger zone. In January 2023 too, the road connecting to the project was blocked due to landslides.
About the Project
The 1000 Mw (250X4) HEP is being built on Marusudar river a tributary of Chenab River in Indus basin by Chenab Valley Power Projects (Private) Limited (CVPPPL). The CVPPPL is a joint venture company of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC), J&K State Power Development Corporation Limited (JKSPDCL) and PTC India Limited.
The foundation stone of the Pakal Dul HEP was laid in May 2018. The project involves construction of 167-meter-high concrete face rock fill dam, two HRTs measuring 7.2 meter in diameter and 9.6 km in length and an underground power house.
The project cost was estimated to be Rs. 8112.12 crores with completion target in 66 months. The project has missed the original deadline and is now slated for completion by December 2026. The salient feature of the project can be seen here and its May 2021 Environment Clearance Compliance Report (ECCR) can be seen here.
SANDRP
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