MIEL threatens to pull out of 850MW Ratle power project in J&K if ‘threats, political interferences’ not stopped

Megha Engineering and Infrastructures Ltd. (MEIL), which is constructing the 850 MW Ratle Hydroelectric Project in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kishtwar district, on Saturday (December 13, 2025) said it may pull out of the project if the administration failed to stop threats and interference from locals and politicians.

“There is a lot of pressure on our workers. The way locals and politicians act is undemocratic and should not happen. If the outsiders don’t allow us to work, we may have to leave the project. It will cause a lot of losses as we have paid bank guarantees, invested in machines and material. But we cannot meet the impossible demands like hiring additional staff,” Harpal Singh, chief operating officer of the dam project from Hyderabad based MEIL, said.

Mr. Singh warned that the prevailing situation had the potential to compromise the safety and quality of the project. “We seek support from all. We have a secular character. We can’t work as an extension of or join any political party. Unless we have a good work atmosphere, the safety and quality of the project could be compromised,” he said.

The Ratle project is a run of the river scheme located on the Chenab at Drabshalla village in Kishtwar. The project was approved in 2021 at a total cost of ₹5,281.94 crore, with the scheduled commissioning date set for May 2026.

The trouble for the company began on December 4, when the head of its human resources team was allegedly attacked and beaten while on the way to the residential quarters. “The incident spread fear among the workers,” Mr. Singh said.

The company alleged that it was under pressure from local politicians to hire more local workers for the project. “I want to underline to locals, the district and State administration, and the Union Ministry of Power that the company has no vacancy,” Mr. Singh said.

The project currently employs 1,434 workers. “From Kishtwar, we have 900 workers. From nearby Doda and Ramban, we have 220 and 24 workers respectively. Around 215 workers are from outside as the project requires specialised labour too,” Mr. Singh said.

The officer said the project had been marred by blackmail from politicians, attacks, and false court cases. “Many have been recruited because of local interference. We are making a 133 metre high dam and underground electricity generation of 850 MW. It is a key project,” he added.

In September this year, the company had planned to retrench 300 workers. “We stopped at 200 workers retrenched only. We even assured locals that we would hire in case of any vacancy,” Mr. Singh said.