Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday inaugurated the ₹3,394.49 crore Shahpur Kandi project here, which will boost the state's electricity generation and irrigation facilities.
While dedicating the project to the people, the CM said Punjab, being an agrarian state, will gain immensely from this project as it will not only increase power generation but also provide extensive irrigation facilities.
He said the project will also create large-scale employment opportunities for the youth.
An official release quoting Mann said the Shahpur Kandi dam will be the lifeline of Punjab, especially for the Majha region.
The Shahpur Kandi dam project is being constructed at a cost of ₹3,394.49 crore, out of which Punjab is contributing ₹2,694.02 crore, while the remaining ₹700.45 crore is being funded by the central government.
Mann further mentioned that 3,171.72 acres of land have been acquired for the project, out of which 1,643.77 acre, is in Punjab and 1,527.95 acre is in Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking about irrigation benefits, the CM said the project will provide irrigation facilities to 5,000 hectares (12,500 acres) of land in Punjab, bringing water to farmlands in Pathankot, Gurdaspur, Amritsar, and other districts of the Majha region.
He said it will also ensure a continuous irrigation supply to 1.18 lakh hectares under the Upper Bari Doab Canal system.
Mann elaborated that before the construction of the Shahpur Kandi dam, the Ranjit Sagar dam power house could not operate at its full capacity of 600 MW during peak hours because there was no downstream reservoir to store water, resulting in excess water flowing unused into Pakistan.
However, the CM said, with the commissioning of the Shahpur Kandi dam, water released from Ranjit Sagar dam will now be stored in the new reservoir, enabling optimal power generation and ensuring a steady supply of water for irrigation.
He shared that the Shahpur Kandi dam stands 55.5 meters high and includes a 7.7 km-long hydel channel.
Mann said two powerhouses with a total capacity of 206 MW are being constructed, and nearly 75% of the work has already been completed.
The CM said the project will be fully operational by March 2026, marking the beginning of electricity production.
He mentioned that the construction of three new canals linked to the dam is also in the final stages.
Mann said a large lake has been created upstream of the Shahpur Kandi dam, which will be developed as one of Punjab's premier tourist destinations in the coming years.
He said the dam will give a major boost to water sports across North India and that Shahpur Kandi dam, Ranjit Sagar dam, and Chamrod will together be developed as a world-class tourism hub.
He added that several companies have already shown keen interest in developing tourism projects in these areas, and discussions are ongoing.
