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| Bhakra Dam | |
 The Bhakra Dam |
|
| Official name | Bhakra Dam |
|---|---|
| Impounds | Sutlej River |
| Locale | Punjab India |
| Length | 1,700 ft (520 m) |
| Height | 741 ft (226 m) |
| Width (at base) | 625 ft (191 m) |
| Construction began | 1948 |
| Opening date | 1963 |
| Reservoir information | |
| Creates | Gobindsagar Reservoir |
| Geographical Data | |
| Coordinates | 31°24′39″N 76°26′00″E / 31.41083°N 76.4333333°ECoordinates: 31°24′39″N 76°26′00″E / 31.41083°N 76.4333333°E |
Bhakra Nangal Dam is a concrete gravity dam across the Sutlej River, near the border between Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in northern India. The dam, located in the village of Bhakra in the Bilaspur region of Himachal Pradesh, is Asia's largest at 225.55 m (740 ft) high. It is the highest gravity dam in the world. The length of the dam (measured from the road above it) is 518.25 m; it is 304.84 m broad. Its reservoir, known as the "Gobind Sagar", stores up to 9340 million cu m of water, enough to drain the whole of Chandigarh, parts of Haryana, Punjab and Delhi. The 90 km long reservoir created by the Bhakra Nangal Dam is spread over an area of 168.35 km2. In terms of storage of water, it is the second largest dam in India, the first being Indira Sagar dam in Madhya Pradesh with capacity of 12.22 billion cu m.
Described as 'New Temple of Resurgent India' by Jawahar Lal Nehru,[1] the first prime minister of India, the dam attracts tourists from all over India.
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History
The Bhakra-Nangal multipurpose project was among the earliest river valley development schemes undertaken by independent India, although the project was conceived long before India became a free nation. Preliminary works commenced in 1946. Construction of the dam started in 1948, Jawahar Lal Nehru poured the first bucket of concrete into the foundations of Bhakra on 17th November 1955 [2] and the dam was completed by the end of 1963. Successive stages were completed by the early 1970s.
Initially, the construction of the dam was started by Sir Louis Dane, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab. But the project got delayed and was restarted by the reoriented and phased soon after Independence. In October, 1963 at the ceremony to mark the dedication of the Bhakra –Nangal Project to the Nation, Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru said- "This dam has been built with the unrelenting toil of man for the benefit of mankind and therefore is worthy of worship. May you call it a Temple or a Gurdwara or a Mosque, it inspires our admiration and reverence".
Features
The dam, at 741 ft (226 m), is one of the highest gravity dams in the world (compared to USA's largest Hoover Dam at 732 ft). The 166 km² Gobindsagar Reservoir, named after Guru Gobind Singh, is created by this dam.
Statistics
It is the largest dam in India
- Type of Dam: Concrete Straight Gravity
- Height: 740 ft (225.55 m)
- Height (above river bed): 550 ft (170 m)
- Length at top: 1,700 ft (520 m)
- Width at top: 30 ft (9.1 m)
- Length at bottom: 325 ft (99 m)
- Width at base: 625 ft (191 m)
- Elevation at top of dam: 1700 ft (above sea level)
- Steel used: 100000 tons
Usage
The dam was part of the larger multipurpose Bhakra Nangal Project whose aims were to prevent floods in the Sutlej-Beas river valley, to provide irrigation to adjoining states and to provide hydro-electricity. It also became a tourist spot for the tourists during later years because of it huge size and uniqueness.
Irrigation
The dam was constructed with an aim to provide irrigation to the Punjab and Himachal Pradesh. Another reason behind the construction of the dam was to prevent damage due to monsoon floods. The dam provides irrigation to 10 million acres (40,000 km²) of fields in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Delhi and Rajasthan.
Electricity Production
Bhakra Nangal dam houses hydroelectric power generators, which are situated on both the sides of the dam. Nangal hydel Channel and Anandpur Sahib Channel are used for power generation and irrigation purposes.
It also has 4 flood gates which are fully functional during the period of floods and also has 2 power- stations situated on the either side of the dam, which receives water through huge pipes which are directly connected from the dam's reservoir to each power- plant. Each of the power plants comprise of 5 generators, and a power station.
Two power houses with a total capacity of 1000 MW flank the dam, on either side of the river. A smaller subsidiary dam, called the Nangal Dam is located downriver from the Bhakra Dam.
Although the Bhakra Dam is situated in the Indian state of Punjab, 80/90% of the electricity produced is given to Delhi leaving only 10/20% to Punjab which faces a lack of electricity itself.
AND the total power produces by the Bhakra dam is 1209 MW.
Tourist Destination and Attraction
Being the biggest dam in India, a large number of tourists visit its reservoir and attractive location. To facilitate tourism in this part of Himachal Pradesh, the travel & tourism department of the state has provided rest houses located near the Bhakra Nangal dam. Apart from the human generated dam, there is a natural fall, which is also a source of hydro-electricity generated by the Ganguwal and Kotla power plant. The area surrounding the dam has popular picnic spots. the distance bitween the ganguwal and bhakra dam is about 30-35 kms.
See also
Bhakra Nangal Dam
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Bhakra Dam |
- [1],Bhakra Beas Management Board
- Bhakra Dam, Government of Rajasthan
- [2]
Coordinates: 31°24′39″N 76°26′00″E / 31.41083°N 76.4333333°E
Notes
- ^ http://bbmb.gov.in/english/history_nangal_dam.asp accessed on 14 Nov 2009
- ^ http://www.hindu.com/2005/11/18/stories/2005111800280900.htm accessed on 14 Dec 09, published at the link on 18 Nov 2005 (according to the page, the original story was published on 18 Nov 1955).
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