Bhubaneswar: The Odisha Cabinet on Friday approved a proposal to undertake three projects for Hirakud Dam under the Dam Rehabilitation & Improvement Project (DRIP-III) at an estimated cost of Rs 1,066.38 crore over a period of six years, starting from the financial year 2025-26.
The projects will be executed with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) under the Externally Aided Project (EAP).
Briefing the media, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi stated that the projects include the construction of an additional spillway on the left dyke of Hirakud Dam, underwater, ground, and aerial surveys to assess the dam’s distressed conditions and implement necessary rehabilitation measures, and the automation of the existing gates and the proposed additional spillway gates using the SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) system.
The construction of the additional spillway will ensure the safe passage of excess floodwater.
Additionally, advanced surveys, structural analysis, and the selection of modern materials for rehabilitation—utilising state-of-the-art machinery and videography—will enhance the dam’s longevity.
Majhi further stated that replacing the manual gate operation with a remote-controlled system using SCADA technology, under DRIP-III, and under the supervision of national and international experts, will improve monitoring and control efficiency.
