On Monday, Jammu and Kashmir Water Resources Minister Javed Ahmed Rana reiterated that as the Shahpur Kandi dam – located on Punjab-J&K border – nears completion, excess water from the Ravi River will be stopped from flowing into Pakistan. As per a Greater Kashmir report, he affirmed that the project would successfully wrap up by March 31.
In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit back at the neighbouring country with a slew of punitive measures, including the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960.
And so, the nation’s leader sped up hydroelectric projects in the Jammu region to maintain river water flow. For the unversed, the Indus Waters Treaty signed between India and Pakistan in 1960, India got the full rights for the utilisation of waters of the three Eastern rivers – Ravi, Beas and Satluj.
However, the treaty was put in abeyance after the April 2025 attack killed 26 people, raising a new wave of debates surrounding cross-border terrorism and scrutiny over Pakistan-based terror infrastructures.
Ravi water flow to Pak to be stopped: J&K Minister’s statement
“Yes, excess water (from Ravi river) to Pakistan will be stopped. It has to be stopped,” Rana told a TV channel, as quoted by Greater Kashmir. “Kathua and Samba districts are drought-hit areas; and this project, which is our priority, is being constructed for the Kandi area.”
Rana also pointed out that the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty had accelerated power and dam projects in Jammu and Kashmir.
Brief history of the Shahpur Kandi Dam project on River Ravi
Although the Shahpur Kandi Dam National Project’s history dates back decades, its implementation on river Ravi, Punjab’s Pathankot, was formally approved by the Union Cabinet chaired by PM Modi in December 2018.
As per an official Press Information Bureau press release at the time. “Some of the water of the River Ravi at present is going waste through the MadhopurHeadworks downstream to Pakistan whereas there is requirement for the same for use in Punjab and J&K,” the announcement had stated back then. “Implementation of the project would minimise such wastage of water.”
While the Shahpur Kandi dam project was first cleared in late 2001 and included under the Accelerated Irrigation Benefits Scheme (AIBP), it was put off for years. In part, the non-availability of funds on the part of Govt. of Punjab and the subsequent interstate issues with J&K fuelled the massive project delay.
“Series of meetings were held bilaterally as well as at Govt. of India level. Finally, an agreement was reached between Punjab and J&K states under the aegis of MoWR, RD&GR at New Delhi on 8th September, 2018,” the PIB press release stated,