Tulbul (Wular) Barrage Revival: Navigating Water Strategy Amid Indus Treaty Uncertainty

Why in the News ?

The Jammu & Kashmir government is reportedly considering leveraging the suspended Indus Waters Treaty to divert water from the Ravi River towards the Jammu region and revive the long-pending Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project. The proposal has reignited debate over water management, interstate allocation, and India-Pakistan hydro-diplomacy.

Background and Treaty Context

The Indus Waters Treaty (1960), brokered by the World Bank, allocated:

• Eastern Rivers (Ravi, Beas, Sutlej) → India
• Western Rivers (Indus, Jhelum, Chenab) → Pakistan (with limited Indian usage rights)

The Tulbul project, initiated in the 1980s, was halted following objections from Pakistan, which argued that it violated treaty provisions regarding storage on the Jhelum River (a Western river). With renewed tensions and treaty uncertainties, discussions around reviving the project have resurfaced as part of broader water strategy considerations.

About the Tulbul Navigation Barrage Project

Also known as the Wular Barrage, the Tulbul Navigation Project is located at the outlet of Wular Lake in Jammu & Kashmir.

Key Features:

• Navigation lock-cum-control structure
• Designed to regulate outflow from Wular Lake
• Intended to maintain minimum draft in the Jhelum River during lean winter months
• Ensures navigability up to Baramulla

Additional Benefits:

• Stabilisation of water supply
• Regulation of seasonal water fluctuations
• Firming up of downstream hydroelectric generation
• Improved operational efficiency of projects like:
  • Uri Hydroelectric Power Project (Uri I & II)

Key Facts about Wular Lake

• Largest freshwater lake in India
• Second largest freshwater lake in Asia
• Located in Bandipore district, Jammu & Kashmir
• Fed by the Jhelum River
• Formed due to tectonic activity
• Designated as a Ramsar Wetland in 1990 under the Ramsar Convention

Wular Lake plays a critical ecological role in flood control, biodiversity conservation, and groundwater recharge.

Strategic and Economic Rationale

Navigation Revival

The barrage would restore inland water transport during winter when water levels drop significantly.

Hydropower Optimisation

Regulated water release improves efficiency and consistency in downstream hydropower plants.

Water Management in Jammu Region

Diversion of Ravi waters could enhance irrigation, drinking water supply, and regional water security.

Strategic Leverage

In the context of India-Pakistan tensions, water infrastructure is viewed as a tool of strategic assertion within treaty limits.

Environmental Dimensions

While infrastructure revival promises economic gains, concerns remain:

• Impact on Wular Lake’s fragile ecosystem
• Alteration of natural hydrological cycles
• Risk to migratory bird habitats
• Sedimentation and wetland degradation

As a Ramsar site, ecological safeguards would be essential before project revival.

Geopolitical Concerns

• Pakistan has historically opposed the project, citing treaty violations.
• Revival could escalate diplomatic friction.
• May require legal reinterpretation of treaty provisions.

Water-sharing arrangements remain a sensitive issue in India-Pakistan relations.

Significance

• Reflects evolving Indian water strategy under treaty constraints
• Enhances regional water security in Jammu & Kashmir
• Strengthens inland navigation and hydropower reliability
• Raises important questions about treaty sustainability
• Balances developmental needs with environmental commitments

The Tulbul project lies at the intersection of hydro-diplomacy, regional development, and ecological governance.