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New Delhi: India has begun construction of its tallest dam, the Dibang Multipurpose Project in Arunachal Pradesh, days after reports that China has started work on a mega hydropower project on the trans-border Yarlung Tsangpo river, the upper course of the Brahmaputra, in Tibet.
According to a CNN-News18 report, state-run NHPC Limited has floated a global tender worth Rs 17,069 crore for building the main dam of the 2,880 MW project. The dam is designed to act as a buffer against sudden water releases from the Chinese project and help prevent flooding in downstream areas.
At 278 metres, Dibang will be India’s tallest dam. It is expected to generate 11,223 million units of electricity annually, with Arunachal Pradesh to receive Rs 700 crore each year in free power. The project is estimated to cost Rs 31,875 crore, and a capacity of 1,282 million cubic meters will be created by keeping the reservoir below the Full Reservoir Level in monsoon.
The tender stipulates a 91-month completion period, with the project likely to be ready by 2032. Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone last year, while Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu recently reviewed the preparatory work at Minli village. "It is our commitment to finish this mega project by 2032," Khandu said during his site visit, accompanied by NHPC chairman and managing director Sanjay Kumar Singh.
The urgency came after a July report mentioned that China has begun building what it claims will be the world's largest hydropower facility, the Motuo Hydropower Station in Tibet. India had raised concerns with Beijing, urging transparency and safeguards for downstream nations.
While the relations between India and China have improved considerably since the 2020 Galwan clashes with PM Modi recently visiting the country for SCO Summit, the dam in Tibet is a cause of concern for India. CM Khandu had earlier cautioned that the Brahmaputra river could "dry up considerably" once the Chinese dam becomes operational, while it could also serve as a "water bomb" against India if water is released suddenly.
China has, meanwhile, said it has "legitimate right" to dam.
