Munish Sood
Torrential rains that lashed the Seraj region of Mandi district on Monday night caused massive destruction, completely washing away the 16-megawatt Patikri Power Project. The project, commissioned in 2008, has been left in ruins, with the loss estimated to run into billions of rupees.
Floodwaters Overwhelm Entire Infrastructure
The relentless downpour triggered a sudden and dangerous rise in water levels, engulfing everything from the Patikri dam to the power house located in Guhad. Shyam Lal, AGM and Project In-Charge, informed that the water entered the power house within minutes of the flood’s onset. At the time, 8 employees were stationed at the power house and 4 at the dam site for night duty. Fortunately, all staff managed to escape unharmed.
“By morning, the situation had worsened. Both the dam site and power house had completely vanished. Roads leading to the site have been washed away, and reaching the area is currently extremely difficult. Only an on-site assessment can reveal the full extent of the damage,” Shyam Lal stated.
Heavy Machinery and Infrastructure Lost
In addition to the total collapse of the dam and power house, heavy machinery deployed at the site has also been swept away. These include a contractor’s machine, a tipper, and two concrete mixers.
The 16 MW hydroelectric project had been a significant asset in the region’s power generation. Its infrastructure included a 4-kilometre-long water tunnel and a 500-metre steel penstock connecting the dam to the power house.
Repeated Damage in Successive Years
This is not the first time the project has suffered due to extreme weather. In 2023, the Patikri Power Project had incurred losses of nearly ₹25 crore. At that time, all turbines were overhauled, electrical panels replaced, and a 6-metre-high, 150-metre-long protection wall was constructed around the power house.
However, this year’s floodwaters surged even above the protective wall. According to preliminary observations, the water tunnel and penstock have sustained partial damage as well.
“Complete Reconstruction Required,” Says Project Head
Shyam Lal emphasized that the devastation has caused losses amounting to billions of rupees. “To revive this project, it will need to be rebuilt entirely from the ground up,” he remarked.
The incident underscores the growing vulnerability of infrastructure projects in hilly regions to extreme weather events, raising urgent questions about future resilience and disaster mitigation planning.
