Tamil Nadu Government To Restore Five Dams Under Rs 510 Crore Project

The Tamil Nadu government will restore five major dams at a cost of Rs 510 crore under the Union government’s Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), reported The Times Of India.

The dams—Sathanur in Tiruvannamalai, Kelavarapalli near Hosur, Bhavani Sagar in Erode, Sholayar, and Upper Nirar—will undergo renovation to fix leakages, replace shutters, strengthen side walls, and restore catchment areas.

The project aims to improve storage capacity and reduce flood risks for lakhs of people living downstream.

The World Bank will fund 70 per cent of the project, while the state government will provide 30 per cent.

“Breached side walls in canals carrying Bhavani Sagar’s water will be restored. Mud walls will be replaced with concrete,” WRD engineer-in-chief S Gopalakrishnan was quoted as saying by ToI,

The official added that the dam’s catchment will be deepened to increase its storage capacity.

Gopalakrishnan noted that another five dams are proposed under DRIP Phase II but the government prioritised these five due to funding.

The state has formed an empowered committee headed by Chief Secretary N Muruganandam to oversee the works.

According to a government order issued on 4 September, the panel includes senior officials and chief engineers for dam safety to supervise key projects.

The committee will inspect the dams and works will begin within a month, Gopalakrishnan confirmed.

Restoration at Kelavarapalli Dam will also tackle sewerage inflow from Bengaluru, following a National Green Tribunal directive to both Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.

The Sathanur dam’s 119-foot catchment will also be deepened.

Gopalakrishnan added, “For DRIP-III, we only have Rs 66 crore funding from the World Bank. So, for the third phase, the state govt will fund the restoration of more dams with Rs 2,000 crore funding.”

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