Dharampur: The ambitious Kandapatan-Baroti-Mandap irrigation project, envisioned to support over 10 panchayats in the Dharampur subdivision of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh, lies abandoned while the machinery is rusting due to the lack of power supply, two years after its construction.
Built near the Kandapatan bridge, this Rs 45 crore Kandapatan-Baroti-Mandap irrigation project scheme, initiated by former BJP minister and Dharampur MLA Mahender Singh, was meant to provide crucial irrigation facilities to local farmers. However, the machinery remains idle as the project awaits the electricity needed for final testing and launch.
Despite the Himachal Pradesh Water Resources Department allocating Rs 6.1 crore to the electricity department on June 30, 2021, for a 33 kV substation, there has been no progress. Additionally, a larger 132 kV substation project, initiated in 2020, is still incomplete, further delaying the project’s operational readiness.
Local farmers, who were looking forward to the Kandapatan-Baroti-Mandap irrigation project for support, have expressed their frustration and disappointment as the delay not only stalls agricultural productivity but also raises concerns about the integrity of the project’s infrastructure.
The scheme was expected to enhance irrigation access for residents in the Khahala area and the Jodhan and Laungani panchayats, but two years later, they are left with unfulfilled promises and decaying equipment.
Residents have urged the government to expedite the power supply to avoid further damage to the infrastructure and prevent the project from “becoming yet another example of stalled development initiatives in the region”.
