View source for Tulbul Navigation Project/ Wullar barrage

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[[Category:India |T ]]
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=A backgrounder=
[https://epaper.indiatimes.com/article-share?article=17_05_2025_028_004_cap_TOI  Vishwa Mohan, TNN, May 17, 2025: ''The Times of India'']


New Delhi : PDP chief Mehbooba Mufti may have slammed J&K CM Omar Abdullah over his call for revival of the Tulbul Navigation Project, but the latter echoed India’s long-term interests with experts flagging how its implementation will yield socio-economic benefits to the entire Union territory. 

 The project, also known as the Wullar barrage, is a navigation lock-cum-control structure located at the outlet of the country’s largest freshwater lake, Wullar Lake, in J&K. It was designed to facilitate navigation on the Jhelum river during lean winter months (Oct-Feb) but was stalled by Pakistan citing the Indus Water Treaty (IWT).

Since IWT is now suspended following the Pahalgam terror attack, experts who tracked developments ever since the project was stalled by Pakistan in 1987, believe its implementation can be the most immediate step for the benefitof J&K’s people.  

“It is time for India to finally break ground on the long-stalled Tulbul Navigation Project,” said Uttam Sinha, senior fellow at Manohar Parrikar Institute of Defence Studies and Analyses. He rued that for nearly four decades, the “developmental aspirations” of the people of Kashmir were “sacrificed at the altar of diplomatic caution” even as its implementation falls well within the treaty. 

 “It is a matter of interpretation. India has long held the view that regulating depletion of naturally stored water for use of navigation, which is non-consumptive, is permissible under the IWT,” said Sinha.  
Kushvinder Vohra, former chairman, Central Water Commission, echoed the view and explained how the project would help in better flood and water management through Wullar lake, and also help in tackling drainage congestion downstream. 

“It will help in maintaining requisite water depth in Jhelum below Wullar lake during lean period so navigation can be maintained throughout the year,” said Vohra, noting that it will also have “incidental benefit” of increase in power production through hydro-electric projects. 

 But why was it stalled when it falls well within the treaty? After all, non-consumptive use is permitted to India under IWT which includes control or use of water for navigation, provided these do not prejudice downstream uses of waters by Pakistan. Islamabad could never establish any prejudice to their downstream uses by the construction of the structure.  Pakistan during multiple secretary-level talks in the past flagged that the project structure is a barrage with a storage capacity of around 0.3 million acre feet (0.369 billion cubic metre) and that India is not permitted to construct any storage facility on the main stem of Jhelum. 

 Sinha says, “It’s a matter of interpretation... Now, the suspension (of IWT) paves the way for a more assertive water strategy... Implementation of Tulbul project is the most immediate step that can be taken.”