Narmada Dam work suspended for three months due to monsoon

Vadodara, July 20 (UNI) The authorities have ordered suspension of all construction work on raising the height of the multipurpose Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat till the end of monsoon season.

A decision to this effect was taken after the height of the spillway was raised to a uniform 119 metres in all the 29 blocks on Tuesday, according to project chief engineer O P Gulati.

''Once the work resumes after the monsoon, it would take another couple of months to raise the dam height to 121.92 metres as permitted by the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) on March 8,'' he added.

After the approved height was achieved, another two-and-a-half-years were required for installation of 30 radial gates and construction of piers and bridges in order to fully complete the multi-crore Sardar Sarovar Dam Project near the Kevadia colony in Narmada district bording Madhya Pradesh, he informed.

Ever since the NCA granted permission for the increase in the dam's height from 110.64 metres to 121.92 metres in March, about 200 engineers and 2000 labourers were working round-the-clock to achieve the approved height before the monsoon.

But with the onset of monsoon as well as increase in the water level in the dam to over 110 metres, the authorities decided to suspend the spillway construction work at 119 metres on Tuesday after they faced difficulties in maintaining all systems and supply lines at the dam site, official sources said and added the work would resume by the end of October this year.

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