Uttarakhand tragedy: Damage to NTPC project may delay its commissioning, says minister
The Uttarakhand glacier burst has caused an estimated loss of Rs 1,500 crore at the NTPC’s 480 mw Tapovan-Vishnugad hydel project and has put a question mark on its scheduled commissioning in 2023, Union Power Minister R K Singh said on Monday.
The minister visited Tapovan on Monday to assess the extent of damage at the project site, a day after the glacier burst in Chamoli district.
“The project was scheduled to be commissioned in 2023. But there is a question mark now on how long it will take to desilt it as lakhs of tonnes of silt is lying at the project site,” Singh told reporters in Tapovan.
“As of now it is difficult to say when we will be able to resume work at the site and when the project will be commissioned,” he said.
To a question, he said estimated losses caused to the project are worth around Rs 1,500 crore. However, the Union minister ruled out any possibility of the project being scrapped.
