Kalpasar Project

The Kalpasar Project envisages building a dam across the Gulf of Khambat for establishing a huge fresh water reservoir for irrigation, drinking and industrial purposes. A 10 lane road link will also be set up over the dam, greatly reducing the distance between Saurashtra and South Gujarat.

‘Kalpasar’ means a lake that fulfills all the wishes. The word originating from Hindu mythological ‘Kalpa Vriksha’ (Devanagari: कल्पवृक्ष) – wishing tree.

The Gulf of Khambhat was identified as a promising site for tidal power generation by UNDP Expert, Mr. Eric Wilson in the year 1975. Successive governments were then presented in details the possibility of a project, aptly named Kalpasar Project by its visionary Dr. Anil Kane, who conceptualised it in 80s as a feasible project. In 1988-89 a reconnaissance report was prepared for the dam across the Gulf of Khambhat. The report concluded that, assuming sound foundation conditions, the closure of the Gulf was technically feasible.

It was reported that construction will begin in 2014.

The Kalpasar aims at the creation of a fresh water reservoir in the Gulf of Khambhat by the construction of a dam connecting the east and west bank of the Gulf. In the reservoir the runoff from Sabarmati, Mahi, Dhadar and Narmada will be stored, together with the waters from the Saurashtra rivers discharging into the Gulf of Khambhat. The stored waters are to be used for irrigation, water supply and industrial requirements in the Saurashtra region. Kalpasar is considered the evident solution for solving on the short as well as on the long term the threatening drinking and irrigation water problems in Saurashtra.

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Wikipedia