Narmada dam height to reach 122 metres by yr end

Kevadia colony (Narmada dam, Gujarat), Aug 31 (UNI) Work on raising the height of the Narmada dam would begin once the monsoon starts receding from October 15, according to P M Patel, chief engineer of Sardar Sarovar Nigam Ltd.

Addressing reporters here yesterday he said, If the situation is favourable, we will start the work even earlier.

''We have completed 119 metres and work of raising the height by a further three metres remains'' he said.

The dam weight would be raised to 122 m (121.92 mts.) by the end of December as 70 days are needed to complete the work, he added.

Mr Patel was accompanied by Mr Ashok Gajjar, in-charge of the dam, at the Narmada dam site, during the press meet.

Work began on raising the height to 121.92 mts from 110.64 in March 8, after permission from the Narmada Control Authority (NCA).

''Earlier we had reached a height of 110.64 metres in June end in 2004. When the dam height reaches 122 m, there will be a whopping 1.6 MAF (or 2000 million metre cube) additional storage capacity. Thirty radial gates will also be fixed over the dam each measuring 60ft x 60ft at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore per gate, which will help in storing the water,'' Mr Gajjar said.

After installation of the gates, the height of the dam including the pillars supporting the gates will touch 143 metres.

At present, there are 11 commissioned power house units, six underground (River Bed Power Houses) and five on the surface.

Each of the six units have a capacity of 200 MW with a total installed capacity of 1,200 MW. Of the six turbines only four are now operational and two are facing teething problems, he added.

UNI