The 67-year-old Hirakud Dam in Odisha requires urgent renovation as cracks and cavities emerge. A new spillway under DRIP 3 is planned to boost flood safety and capacity
OdishaPlus Bureau
The 67-year-old Hirakud Dam, recognized as the longest earthen dam in the world, necessitates a thorough renovation to resolve structural issues and improve its capacity, as stated by a senior official. Sudhir Kumar Sahu, the additional chief engineer of the Hirakud Dam Circle, indicated that although the dam’s overall integrity is satisfactory, superficial cracks and cavities have been detected upstream of the reservoir.
“We are properly maintaining the dam, and both the Central Soil and Material Research Station and the Central Water and Power Research Station have provided favorable assessments. Its strength is quite robust, but there are some superficial cracks and cavities upstream of the reservoir,” Sahu remarked.
The Hirakud Dam is situated across the Mahanadi River, approximately 12 kilometers upstream from Sambalpur town in Odisha. It is located 6 kilometers from NH6, making it accessible from the Hirakud railway station and the Jharsuguda airport.
This 25.4-kilometer-long dam, which forms Asia’s largest artificial lake covering 743 square kilometers, was completed in 1957 as India’s inaugural multipurpose project following Independence. Construction commenced in 1948 after the foundation stone was laid in 1946 by the then-governor, Sir Hawthorne Lewis. The first batch of concrete was poured by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1948, and the project was officially inaugurated on January 13, 1957.
At present, the dam fulfills various functions, such as flood management, irrigation, electricity generation, and providing water for both industrial and domestic use.
Sahu mentioned that the recognized structural problems are being resolved through regular maintenance. “We have one package for underwater treatment under DRIP 3, and an additional spillway will be constructed,” he stated.
The Central Water Commission has advised the construction of an extra spillway to accommodate a higher water release capacity. While the existing spillway can manage 15 lakh cusec, the new structure will assist in handling the Probable Maximum Flood of 24.6 lakh cusec.
“CWC has instructed us to construct another spillway, an additional spillway. This is currently in progress, and a Memorandum of Understanding will be signed with the CWC,” the official remarked. Regarding financing, Sahu clarified that the state government covers routine maintenance expenses, while significant projects such as spillway construction, underwater treatment, and lining are financed by the central government. Despite a favorable monsoon season this year, which has resulted in increased river flow, there has been no flooding in the downstream regions.