Tariq khan cni
Srinagar,CNI: In the wake of suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) following the Pahalgam attack, the Indian government is exploring ways to expand its use of the Chenab river, with a major focus on extending the Ranbir Canal, officials revealed on Saturday.

So far, India has tapped only a limited portion of the Chenab’s waters, primarily for irrigation. However, with the treaty now on hold, officials say there is fresh opportunity to utilise more water—particularly to boost hydropower capacity and meet rising energy needs.

“One of the key proposals is to extend the Ranbir Canal to 120 kilometres,” a senior official said, adding that while such infrastructure projects take time, all departments involved have been directed to speed up the process.

The Ranbir Canal, which currently irrigates large areas in Jammu region, is expected to play a bigger role in the coming years as India ramps up water infrastructure along the western rivers, previously reserved for Pakistan under the IWT.

In parallel, desilting operations have been initiated on the Kathua, Ravi, and Paragwal canals to ensure uninterrupted water flow and improved efficiency, officials added.

Another government source said India is aiming to significantly scale up its current hydropower generation of around 3,000 megawatts from rivers like the Chenab, Jhelum, and Indus. A detailed feasibility study for additional hydroelectric projects is also in the pipeline.

The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, divided the river system between the two countries, with the eastern rivers—Ravi, Beas, and Sutlej—allocated to India, and the western rivers—Indus, Jhelum, and Chenab—going to Pakistan.

But following the recent attack in Pahalgam, India announced the suspension of the treaty, asserting it will remain in abeyance until Pakistan “credibly and irreversibly” ends support for cross-border militancy. (CNI)