The government has finally decided to start implementing the 220-kv power transmission line that would link the arid Ladakh desert with the national grid. The PGCIL will implement the Rs 2076.56 crore project that will be jointly funded by the centre and the state government but will eventually become property of the J&K state. CCEA has approved the project.
Apart from having two small stretches of 8.30 kms length underground to avoid damages by massive snow fall on Zoji La range, the 352.30 kms Srinagar-Leh line with around 1400 towers will have four 66 kV interconnection systems at Drass, Kargil, Khaltse and Leh. The sub-stations would require laying 50.50 kms of 66 kV transmission network. The line will carry a voice and data line along with.
Surge in power requirement of the region and a deficit of 95 percent apart, the project is being implemented fast to ensure resistibility of supplies to the defence establishments as the area having borders with China and Pakistan has huge strategic importance.
The PGCIL that will implement the project within 42 months will charge only 12% of the project cost as its consultancy fee to help the government make project viable. Given the strategic nature of the region, the government ruled out hiring any foreign consultant. This will be the first project of its kind that PGCIL will implement in highly hostile terrain. PGCIL sources said they have already undertaken the survey of the entire line. Its route alignment was undertaken using Satellite Imageries through National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA) Department of Space and for designing avalanche prone towers, help was sought from defence ministry's Snow and Avalanche Study Establishment ( SASE).
For laying towards in a particular stretch, the corporation will have to fly the men and material because there is no possibility of laying any road.
The line will pass through a very hostile terrain comprising very heavy snow zones from Gagangeer to Ghumri (around 60 km), high security areas close to Line of Control (LoC) between Drass and Kargil (about 60 km) and very low temperature and dry climate (cold desert) of Ladakh (about 220 km). The challenges involve working in extremely harsh climatic conditions, lesser working period available and transportation of heavy machinery and laying of 220 KV underground cabling at Z- More and Zozilla Pass. Transformers for four sub-stations may also have to be airlifted because of low capacity of road bridges.
The line that was initially announced as part of the Prime Minister's Reconstruction Plan (PMRP) in 2004 was deferred as the Ladakh region wanted the implementation of twin power project - Nimu-Bazgo and Chutak, on priority. The twin projects with cumulative capacity of 89 MWs are already completed and partly in operation. In absence of power evacuation system or the proper distribution network locally, the twin projects operate as captive stations being linked directly to the load.
The sparsely populated Ladakh constitutes almost 74% of J&K geography but comprises of Leh and Kargil districts only. Apart from a new corps of army that was raised after the Kargil war, the region is emerging tourist destination as well. Currently, the net energy requirement of 150 MWs is expected to reach 224 MWs in next five years. Most of the peak time energy is being managed through highly polluting DG sets that costs Rs 18 per unit and in certain cases upward of Rs 30.
Of the Rs 2076.56 crore investment, J&K is contributing only five percent. But the ownership of the line will eventually be transferred to the J&K government. While substantial Rs 1451.26 crore would go for purchasing equipment, the project has Rs 34.33 crore for compensating forests and private land and Rs 64.64 crore for raising required civil works. The project would require 40 acres for substations and another 78 acres for the transmission line. It includes 131.43 hectors of forest land. The project is expected to be ready by latter 2018.
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