Gujarat's Kalpasar dam project likely to commence next year

The Kalpasar Dam project envisaged a decade ago to resolve the water woes in Saurashtra and Kutch region in Gujarat, is likely to take off next year after the receipt of techno-economic feasibility study report, the state Assembly was told today.
"As soon as we receive Techno-economic feasibility study report government will commence further work on Kalpasar Dam project and report will be ready by the end of this year," said Minister of Ports Bhupendrasinh Chudasama while answering a series of questions raised by Congress members during question-answer session in the House today.
The project, which is estimated to cost Rs 33,000 crore, was conceptualised in 1998 to establish fresh water reservoir in sea by building a dam in the Gulf of Khambhat, with projected storage capacity of 10,000 million cubic metre (MCM).

In his reply to a question raised by Congress MLA from Petlad Niranjan Patel during the question answer session, the minister has informed the House that as Kalpasar Project includes building of a dam state government has invited different offers for survey and feasibility in regards to the project.
"Kalpasar project department is awaiting a techno-economic feasibility study from National Institute of Oceanography(NIO) on the coastal study and the impact of Tsunami on the proposed dam," the minister said.
"On the proposed project state government has, till now, spent more then Rs 15 crore," he said.
Time and again, Opposition in Gujarat has targeted Modi government in the state for its 'neglect' for starting of the the project, which proposes construction of a dam on Gulf of Khambat, leading to creation of 2,000 square km fresh water reservoir.