Chandigarh, 14 January 2025 – The Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) is set to launch a comprehensive project to evaluate the structural integrity and safety of the Bhakra and Pong dams in Himachal Pradesh.
The initiative, part of the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP), has a projected financial outlay of Rs 200 crore and is expected to span four years, concluding in 2029.
Funded primarily by the World Bank, which covers up to 70% of the cost, the remaining amount will be provided by central and state agencies.
A senior BBMB official stated, “The first phase, with an allocation of Rs 70 crore, has already been sanctioned by the World Bank, and we expect fund disbursement within this fiscal year. Preparatory documents were finalized in December 2024.”
The Bhakra dam, situated on the Sutlej River, was commissioned in 1963, while the Pong dam on the Beas became operational in 1974. Together, these dams possess a hydropower generation capacity of 1,775 megawatts and irrigate 6,76,000 hectares of land in Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Rajasthan.
According to BBMB sources, the project will include detailed evaluations of the physical condition of the dams, measurement of structural deflection caused by water pressure, identification of seepage, seismic risk assessments, and treatments to stabilize slopes and minimize erosion in the catchment areas.
Modernization plans also involve upgrading instrumentation, automating barrage gates, and enabling real-time data access to streamline operations.
“The rehabilitation is critical given the age of these structures,” an official mentioned. Bhakra, whose construction began in 1948, is now 62 years old, while Pong exceeds 50 years of operation.
India, with 6,281 large dams listed in the National Register of Large Dams-2023, holds the third-largest number of such infrastructure globally, after China and the U.S. Out of these, 6,138 are operational, and 143 are under construction. The DRIP initiative, first introduced in 2012, aims to ensure the safety and efficient management of these crucial assets.
