Mandi/Kullu:
The Himachal Pradesh government has coughed up a staggering Rs 250 crore to revive the 126 MW Larji Hydroelectric Project, which was battered by the highest-ever recorded discharge in the Beas River during the July 2023 floods.
Once hailed as one of the most expensive and strategically vital hydro projects, Larji was brought to its knees when the river roared past its previous record of 3838.37 cumecs (1953) to a massive 5600 cumecs.
The devastating flash floods on 9th and 10th July 2023 filled the powerhouse with muck and debris so thick and deep that even machines failed to clear it.
What followed was a painfully slow, manual cleaning operation, with engineers and workers slogging day and night just to make the turbines accessible again.
Under pressure to save the project from complete collapse, the Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu-led government first released Rs 25 crore for emergency works, followed by Rs 35 crore and a final tranche of Rs 185.87 crore for full restoration—totaling Rs 245.87 crore, rounded off to a neat Rs 250 crore.
Thanks to the relentless efforts of HPSEBL staff, Unit I resumed on 15 January 2024, synced to the power grid on 2 May; Unit II came online on 9 August 2024, and Unit III was restored by 17 January 2025.
With all turbines now operational, Larji is back in the game—but not without raising serious questions.
Why were adequate safety buffers not in place in a known flood-prone zone?
Could the disaster have been minimized had earlier flood data been treated with greater urgency?
As Himachal continues to invest in hydroelectricity amidst a changing climate, the Larji episode exposes the fragile underbelly of big-budget infrastructure in the mountains.
To prevent a repeat, HPSEBL has now installed slope stabilizers, cable nets, rockfall barriers, and a Hinged Gate at the Main Access Tunnel to block future floodwaters.
Similar works are underway at the Emergency Exit Tunnel.
But critics argue that these measures are reactive rather than proactive—the real test lies in whether future planning prioritizes disaster resilience, not just damage control.
For now, Larji may be up and running, but the flood has left behind a costly reminder: nature doesn’t play by man’s deadlines—or budgets.
