Pakal Dul Dam, Hydroelectric power station in Kishtwar District, India
Pakal Dul is a hydroelectric facility in Kishtwar built on a 305-meter-wide dam across the Marusadar River. The structure combines a rock-fill dam with a concrete facing and rises 167 meters above the riverbed.
The government approved the project in 2014 after several years of planning and environmental studies were completed. Construction began in 2018 with the goal of expanding the energy supply in northern India.
Locals call the valley Pakal, a name from the regional language that refers to the characteristic rock formations of the area. Fishermen and hikers know the old paths along the Marusadar, which have served as connections between villages for generations.
The site sits in a mountainous region with steep slopes, so visiting requires sturdy footwear and caution during changing weather. Access is often limited during monsoon season when landslides can block the roads.
Two circular pressure tunnels with a diameter of 7.2 meters each carry water over a distance of 9.6 kilometers from the reservoir to the turbines. These tunnels are among the longest of their kind in South Asia and run deep beneath the surrounding mountains.
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