Sambalpur: The 67-year-old Hirakud Dam, the world’s longest earthen dam, requires comprehensive overhauling to address structural concerns and enhance capacity, according to a senior official.
Sudhir Kumar Sahu, Additional Chief Engineer, Hirakud Dam Circle, said while the dam’s overall strength remains good, superficial cracks and cavities have been identified upstream of the reservoir.
“We are maintaining the dam properly and the Central Soil and Material Research Station and Central Water and Power Research Station have given good reports. Its strength is very good, but there are some superficial cracks and cavities upstream of the reservoir,” Sahu told PTI.
The Hirakud Dam project is built across the river Mahanadi at about 12 km upstream of Sambalpur town in Odisha. Located 6 km from NH6, the dam is accessible via Hirakud Railway Station as the nearest rail connection and Jharsuguda as the nearest airport.
The 25.4-km long dam, which creates Asia’s largest artificial lake spanning 743 sq km, was completed in 1957 as India’s first multipurpose project after Independence.
Construction began in 1948 after the foundation stone was laid in 1946 by then Governor Sir Hawthorne Lewis. Then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru laid the first batch of concrete in 1948, and the project was inaugurated January 13, 1957.
Currently, the dam serves multiple purposes, including flood control, irrigation, power generation, industrial and domestic water supply.
Sahu said the identified structural issues are being addressed through periodic treatment. “We have one package for underwater treatment under DRIP 3 and one additional spillway will be constructed,” he said.
The Central Water Commission has recommended building an additional spillway to handle increased water release capacity. While the current spillway can manage 15 lakh cusec, the new facility will help handle Probable Maximum Flood of 24.6 lakh cusec.
“CWC has told us to build another spillway, additional spillway. It is under process and MoU will be signed with the CWC,” the official said.
Regarding funding, Sahu explained that routine maintenance costs are borne by the state government while major schemes like spillway construction, underwater treatment and lining are funded by the Centre.
Three major packages are currently underway – underwater treatment under DRIP 3, construction of an additional spillway, and automation of gates.
Despite good monsoon this year with increased water flow in rivers, there has been no flooding in downstream areas.
“We opened 20 gates in the first phase and later closed them. This season we opened 12 gates. Now two gates are open and there is no flood in the downstream area,” Sahu said.
The official emphasised the need for central government support for the aging infrastructure.
“Hirakud dam is more than 65 years old. So, overhauling is necessary and the central government is cooperating in many ways with the state government,” he added.
PTI
