Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project Approved

• The Central Government granted approval to the Chenab–Beas Link Tunnel Project in May 2026.

• Included among India's major river-linking schemes, the objective of this project is to divert surplus water available in the Chenab basin to the Beas river system. Proposed in Himachal Pradesh, the estimated cost of this project has been pegged at ₹2,352 crore.

• It is regarded as a significant initiative aimed at improving water resource management and enhancing the potential for hydroelectric power generation.

• Under this project, a tunnel approximately 8.7 kilometers in length will be constructed, through which the surplus water from the Chenab basin will be transferred to the Beas river system.

• This will facilitate the more effective utilization of available water resources.

• The first phase of the project proposes the construction of a 19-meter-high barrage on the Chandra River, situated near Koksar village in the Lahaul region of Himachal Pradesh.

• The Chandra River is a major tributary of the upper Chenab basin, flowing through the Western Himalayan region.

• Water will be regulated through the barrage and subsequently conveyed to the Beas river system via the tunnel. This project holds particular significance from the perspective of water resource management in the Himalayan region.