Sardar Sarovar Dam
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| Sardar Sarovar Dam | |
|---|---|
| Name | Sardar Sarovar Dam |
| Caption | The dam on the Narmada River |
| Location | Kevadia, Narmada district, Gujarat, India |
| Construction began | 1987 |
| Opening | 2017 |
| Cost | ₹40,000 crore (approx.) |
| Reservoir | Sardar Sarovar Reservoir |
| Height | 163 m |
| Length | 1,210 m |
| Spillway capacity | 87,000 m³/s |
| Plant operator | Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd |
| Plant turbines | 6 x 200 MW Francis turbines |
| Plant capacity | 1,200 MW |
| Plant annual gen | 4,141 GWh (design) |
Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Narmada River near Kevadia in the state of Gujarat, India. It is one of the largest and most contentious dam projects in the world, forming a key part of the Narmada Valley Development Project. The dam was conceived to provide water and hydroelectric power to the arid regions of Gujarat and neighboring states, but its construction sparked decades of intense debate over displacement, environmental impact, and water rights.
History
The concept of harnessing the Narmada River dates to proposals made in the 1940s, with serious planning initiated after the formation of the Narmada Water Disputes Tribunal in 1969. The tribunal's final award in 1979 allocated water shares among the party states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Rajasthan. The foundation stone for the project was laid by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, but major construction did not begin until 1987. The project's history is deeply intertwined with the rise of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, a social movement led by activists like Medha Patkar and supported by figures such as Arundhati Roy, which fiercely opposed the dam from the late 1980s onward.
Design and construction
The dam is a concrete gravity structure, standing 163 meters high with a crest length of 1,210 meters. Its design incorporates a gated spillway with a discharge capacity of 87,000 cubic meters per second. The powerhouse contains six 200 MW Francis turbine units for a total installed capacity of 1,200 MW. Construction was undertaken by a consortium led by the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd with engineering contributions from firms like Larsen & Toubro. The project faced numerous suspensions, most notably due to legal challenges and directives from the Supreme Court of India, which halted work in 1995 before allowing gradual height increases culminating in the final installation of the gates in 2017.
Purpose and benefits
The primary purposes are irrigation, hydroelectric power generation, and supplying drinking water. The dam's reservoir is designed to irrigate over 1.8 million hectares of land across Gujarat and Rajasthan, transforming agriculture in drought-prone areas like Kutch and Saurashtra. It provides drinking water to thousands of villages and major cities, including Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar. The power generated is shared among the party states of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra, contributing to the Western Region grid. Additional benefits include flood mitigation on the Narmada River and tourism development at the Statue of Unity site.
Environmental and social impact
The project submerged a large area, affecting a significant stretch of the Narmada River valley. This led to the displacement of over 40,000 families across the three states, predominantly affecting Adivasi communities in villages within Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. Environmental concerns include the loss of forest land, changes in downstream hydrology, and potential impacts on the Gulf of Khambhat estuary. The resettlement and rehabilitation process, governed by the tribunal's award and subsequent Supreme Court of India orders, has been a major point of contention, with critics arguing that promised compensation and land-for-land policies were inadequately implemented.
Controversies and legal issues
The dam became a global symbol of development-related conflict. The Narmada Bachao Andolan organized massive protests, international campaigns, and protracted legal battles, arguing the project's costs outweighed its benefits. Key legal milestones include the World Bank's independent review in 1992, which led to its withdrawal of funding, and the landmark 2000 judgment by the Supreme Court of India that allowed construction to proceed subject to strict rehabilitation conditions. Debates also centered on the accuracy of benefit-cost analyses, inter-state water sharing disputes, and allegations of environmental impact assessment violations.
Current status and operations
The dam was officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in September 2017 after the installation of its final gates. It is now operating at its full reservoir level of 138.68 meters. The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Ltd manages the distribution of water and power. The surrounding area has been developed as a tourism hub centered on the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue, depicting Vallabhbhai Patel. Operations continue amid ongoing monitoring of rehabilitation commitments and studies on long-term environmental effects, while the dam remains a critical infrastructure component for water security in western India.
Category:Dams in Gujarat Category:Buildings and structures in Narmada district Category:Narmada River