Planned a decade back, Kalpasar dam project yet to take off

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 on the Gulf of Khambhat, with projected storage capacity of 10,000 million cubic metre (MCM).

However, the project is still in study phase, even as the state is grappling with non-availability of water due to scanty rainfall.

"Studies like Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the phase I of Kalpasar project, comprising 15 km barrage on Narmada Dam are almost over. All the mandatory clearances for it will be in place by the end of this fiscal," a top official of Kalpasar project told PTI.

"The requisite clearances for phase II involving 30 km dam from Bhavnagar to Dahej are expected by 2013-14," he said.

The project proposes construction of a dam on Gulf of Khambat, leading to creation of 2,000 square km fresh water reservoir. After the completion, it is expected to provide water for drinking and irrigation purposes to parched pockets of the state like Saurashtra and Kutch.

It also proposes to link Saurasthra to South Gujarat by a 30-km dam, with a ten lane road, officials said, adding the project would offer slew of opportunities for setting up renewable energy projects like solar, wind and tidal.

Business delegations from countries like Japan, Israel and Korea have evinced interest in this multi-crore project, official sources said.

Former Gujarat Chief Minister Keshubhai Patel had criticised Chief Minister Narendra Modi on his blog over the "failure" in launching the Kalpasar project. It was during Patel's regime that the project had been conceptualised.

"In the last ten years, this government could have completed the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Canal project as well as Kalpasar dam. But it has not done these two things," Patel had said. (More)