Gujarat: Ajwa, Kadana, Narmada dams release water; over 160 villages on alert
As Vadodara city saw a pause in rainfall on Friday morning, Municipal Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu said the city remains ‘comfortable’
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The Narmada dam is currently 89.75% full. (Photo: Special Arrangement)Following heavy overnight rainfall in Halol and other parts of Panchmahal district — the catchment area of the Vishwamitri River — the Vadodara Municipal Corporation (VMC) on Friday opened all 62 gates of Ajwa Reservoir to release 6,600 cusecs of water downstream to create a cushion in the reservoir. The release will continue for four hours until 1 pm, after which the civic body will review the situation.
Ajwa stood at 213.50 feet on Friday morning, against its rule level of 212.50 feet. Officials said the release will allow the Vishwamitri to rise up to 18 feet if required. The river overflows low-lying areas at 22 feet and the city faces major flooding once it crosses 28 feet. On Friday morning, the river stood at 11 feet at Kala Ghoda bridge, its measurement point.
Even as the city saw a pause in rainfall by mid-morning, Municipal Commissioner Arun Mahesh Babu said Vadodara remains in a “comfortable situation.” He told The Indian Express, “There is no reason for any anxiety as we are releasing water as part of the flood risk management plan. We are expected to maintain a rule level of 212.5 feet at Ajwa until the end of September. The Vishwamitri has an increased carrying capacity and it will help us maintain the level.”
He added that Pratappura Dam, at around 224 feet, will be used to divert water flowing into Ajwa if required. “Pratappura has a cushion space available as we had already drained it earlier… So, Vadodara city is in a comfortable position. The catchment area has also seen rain subside today,” he said. Vadodara city has received 762.6 mm of rainfall so far this season.
Narmada Dam
The Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited (SSNNL) opened 23 radial gates of the Narmada Dam for the first time this season, releasing 4.45 lakh cusecs of water overnight, including from the Riverbed Powerhouse. With an inflow of 4.9 lakh cusecs from upstream, the dam level has risen to nearly 136 metres, just over two feet short of its full reservoir level of 138.68 metres.
The Narmada River is now raging through Narmada, Vadodara and Bharuch districts, with about 30 villages along the banks placed on alert. At Chandod, the Malhar Ghat saw 95 footsteps inundated, with only 13 visible on Friday. In Bharuch, the river touched 25 feet at Golden Bridge. Collector Gaurang Makwana said, “We are in a comfortable situation until 27 feet but as part of preventive action, the low-lying areas have been alerted. If such a situation arises that water is entering the low-lying areas, we will begin evacuations.”
Kadana Dam
The Kadana Dam on Mahisagar river is discharging 2.29 lakh cusecs with 13 gates opened up to 10 feet, following heavy inflow from Bajaj Sagar dam in Rajasthan’s Banswada, Anas river in Madhya Pradesh, and rainfall in the catchment.
A total of 124 villages are on high alert in Lunawada, Khanpur and Kadana talukas of Mahisagar district as well as Godhra and Sehra talukas of Panchmahal district. Another 39 villages along the Mahisagar in Vadodara district have also been alerted.
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