India Plans to Halt Ravi River Water Flow to Pakistan as Shahpur Kandi Dam Nears Completion.

NEW DELHI: Following the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty, India is set to stop the flow of surplus water from the Ravi River into Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir Minister Javed Ahmed Rana stated that the Shahpur Kandi dam project, located on the Punjab-Jammu and Kashmir border, is nearing completion and is expected to be operational by March 31. Once functional, the dam will redirect water that currently flows into Pakistan toward the drought-prone districts of Kathua and Samba in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as parts of Punjab.

Envisaged in 1979, the Rs 3,394.49 crore project was designated as a national project in 2008. The 55.5-metre high dam aims to irrigate over 32,000 hectares in Jammu and Kashmir and 5,000 hectares in Punjab. This strategic move follows India’s decision in April 2025 to put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, explicitly linking water cooperation to Pakistan’s end of cross-border terrorism. Officials emphasized that India holds exclusive rights over the waters of the Ravi River, and this project fulfills a long-standing plan to utilize the eastern river waters of the Indus basin for domestic needs. (NDTV)

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