Project Sardar Sarovar Dam

By : Neha Dhyani

Updated : May 2, 2022, 9:01

The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Located in Gujarat on the Narmada River, SSD or the Sardar Sarovar Dam is the largest dam in the Narmada Valley project. The cornerstone of the Sardar-Sarovar Dam was laid by former Prime Minister Pt. Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961.

Project Sardar Sarovar Dam - Latest News

Sardar Sarova Dam has recently been in the news as Prime Minister Modi launched a seaplane service from the banks of the Sabarmati River to the Statue of Unity on the SSD.

History of the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam

The Sardar Sarovar dam project was conceived by Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel (the first Deputy Prime Minister of India) to block the excessive flow of water from the Narmada River to the Arabian Sea. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru laid the cornerstone of the project in 1961. However, the construction of the project did not begin until 1987. The Supreme Court cancelled the project in 1995 because the project was controversial with many who opposed the construction of the dam because of environmental issues and the movement of people.

Narmada Bachao Andolan was formed to protest the project. The project was revived from 2000 to 2001, but at a low height of 110.64 meters under the direction of the SC, then increased to 121.92 meters in 2006. The project was carried out by Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited SSNL of the Government of Gujarat.

Project Sardar Sarovar Dam - Overview

The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam is a concrete gravity dam on the Narmada River in Kevadiya which is located near Navagam, Gujarat. t is the second-largest concrete dam in the world in terms of the amount of concrete used to build the dam It includes a series of large multipurpose irrigation and hydroelectric dams.

The benefits of irrigation occur in Rajasthan and Gujarat, and the hydropower of the SSP is shared in Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Maharashtra. Maharashtra is said to buy about 57 per cent of the electricity produced. Madhya Pradesh receives about 27 per cent and Gujarat receives about 16 per cent. The multipurpose irrigation and hydroelectric dam on the Narmada River were funded by the World Bank through the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), but later it was withdrawn in 1994.

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Advantages of Project Sardar Sarovar Dam

The advantages of the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam are

  • Unused water from the Narmada River would otherwise flow into the sea and Gujarat.
  • The project employed approximately 1 million people from the start to the end of the Sardar Sarovar project.
  • Power supply to unserviced areas and farmers.
  • Water supply for irrigation and drinking.
  • Approximately 800,000 hectares of land in Gujarat and approximately 2,46,000 hectares of land in Rajasthan are irrigated with SSD water.
  • It is said to supply drinking water to 131 towns and about 9,633 villages in four states, mainly in the drought-prone Kutch and Saurashtra regions.
  • It provides flood protection to approximately 30,000 hectares of area exposed to flood rage.
  • Wildlife reserves are also endorsed

Project Sardar Sarovar Dam Features

The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam consists of two power plants - River Bed Power House RBPH with an installed capacity of 1200 MW and Canal Head Power House with 250 MW. The Narmada Control Authority decided on June 17, 2017, to raise the height of the Sardar-Sarovar Dam to a maximum height of 163 meters (depth) by ordering the closure of 30 gates, providing flood protection of 30,000 hectares of area, supplying drinking water to 131 towns and about 9,633 villages in four states.

With a height of 138.68 meters, it is the third tallest dam in India. The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam was launched by Prime Minister Modi in September 2017.

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FAQs on Project Sardar Sarovar Dam

Q.1. Which are the states that the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam covers?

The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam is one of India's largest water resources projects, covering four major states: Maharastra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Rajasthan.

Q.2. What are some relevant statistics of the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam?

Some relevant statistics of the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam are the discharge capacity of the dam (30.7 cusecs) is the third-highest in the world. The head controller has a capacity of 1133 cumecs (40000 cusecs), which is 532km. In length, the Narmada main canal will become the largest irrigation canal in the world.

Q.3. How does the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam rank?

The Project Sardar Sarovar Dam is India's third tallest concrete dam (163 meters), the first two being Bhakra Nangal Dam (226 meters) in Himachal Pradesh and Lakhwar (192 meters) in Uttarakhand.

Q.4. Describe the Reservoir of Project Sardar Sarovar Dam?

The Reservoir of Project Sardar Sarovar Dam covers an area of 37,000 hectares. The linear range is 214 kilometres and the average width is 1.77 kilometres. The Sardar-Sarovar Dam's full reservoir level (FRL) is set at 138.68 meters (455 feet) RL.

Q.5. What are the maximum and minimum water levels under the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam?

The maximum water level is 140.21 meters (460 feet) and the minimum water level is 110.64 meters (363 feet). Normal underwater levels are 25.91 meters (85 feet) under the Project Sardar Sarovar Dam.