Tehri Dam: India’s Tallest Dam on Bhagirathi River

Tehri Dam, The tallest dam in India located in Uttarakhand, is situated on the uphills, with a village covered with pines around the project. Tehri Dam’s height is 260.5 metres, placing it among the tallest dams in the world. Being an engineering marvel, the dam provides about 1,000 megawatts of electricity and is one of the most popular tourist spots in Uttarakhand. 

The reservoir of the Tehri Dam, also known as Tehri lake, is always crowded with tourists interested in boating activities. Gradually, the reservoir is also becoming one of the most preferred locations for adventure in the state. 

In this article, everything you need to know about Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand is mentioned in detail. 

Overview: Tehri Dam Project

The astonishing Tehri Dam is the tallest dam in India and among the tallest in the world. Tehri Dam’s height is 855 feet (260.5 metres) tall. The dam is also a multipurpose earth-fill causeway built on the Bhagirathi River near the Tehri Garhwal district in Uttarakhand. 

The dam is also part of Tehri Dam & Hydro Project Power, which is a multipurpose project for the river valley. The construction of the dam on the Bhagirathi River has helped in reaching the water to vast lands for hydroelectric and irrigation purposes. The Tehri dam is rick and the earth pack dam. The spillway system of the construction consists of the Chute spillway (a spillway that has three radial gates of the spillway) and the four shaft spillway. This is designed for the Probable Maximum Flood (PMF) of about 15540 cusecs with a drop of about 220 metres. 

This Dam’s length is around 575 metres, i.e, 1,886 feet. The crest width of the dam is around 20 metres (66 feet) with a base width of around 1,128 metres (3,710 feet). With the help of the this Dam, a reservoir of 4.0 cubic kilometres (around 3,200,000 acres feet) with a  surface area of 52 sq. kilometres. Pratapnagar is the nearest village settlement to this dam. 

History of Tehri Dam

The plan to construct this Dam in Uttarakhand was laid out in 1961. The construction of the dam began in the year 1978 but was soon postponed because of financial as well as social drawbacks. Prominent environmental activists were against the construction of the dam as it was believed to have negative effects on both the Himalayas’ environment and the fragile ecosystem. The construction of the Tehri Dam was completed in 2006 after overcoming several hurdles that include financial issues, social issues and others. The technical and financial help of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, also known as the Soviet Union (USSR), helped in overcoming the drawbacks and construction of the dam. 

Construction of the Tehri Dam in Uttarakhand

The Tehri Dam India is a rock fill dam in the Tehri district of Uttarakhand. The project of this Dam was conceptualised, and a full feasibility study was created using current technology and available skills. In the technical design of the project, necessary secondary and primary data on topography, geology, hydrology, seismology and the environment were utilised. This is in accordance with local rules, yet it falls well short of international requirements.

The Tehri Dam project design did not undergo any significant revisions. Only minor adjustments were made for the sake of safety. Delays were not caused by these adjustments in any manner. The fundamental designs were created using accessible knowledge and current technologies. Both have become more sophisticated over time, and one should take advantage of this. During project execution, geological data that was accessible at the time of design is refined. Extra strengthening, grouting and concreting were done in light of the geology disclosed during the building process.

The Process Throughout!

The construction of the this Dam in Uttarakhand project began in 1978 and was completed in  2006 under the Technical Advisory Committee. The committee also helped in overcoming the various issues by providing solutions for the construction engineers. A discrete directorate looked after the land acquisition and the R&R of the project. 

The social, local and political pressures were the major issues faced for the construction of the Tehri Dam in India. Adding to the difficulties, R&R became a prominent issue for the cost of the project. The process of R&R is still going on. The initial provision for the Tehri Dam project in 1994 was 13%, i.e, 2,851 crores rose to 15% in 2005, i.e, 6,896 crores because of the time overrun caused by the R&R constraints. 

The financial constraints were ended after the Ministry of Power assured the funds for the project by the joint venture with THDC India Limited and the state government of Uttarakhand. 

Benefits of Tehri Hydro Power Complex

• The installed capacity of the northern India region increased by 1000 megawatts (2400 megawatts delivered on completion of the entire complex).
• Yearly energy availability culminated to 3,568 Million Units (MU) (6,200 Million Units delivered on completion of the entire complex).
• The irrigation increased to 2.7 lakh hectares of the area, along with stabilising the existing 6.04 lakh hectares of land.
• Around 300 cusecs (162 million gallons) of drinking water is supplied to Delhi to cater for the water needs of the 40 lakhs population of the state.
• Around 200 cusecs (108 million gallons) of drinking water is supplied to the villages and towns of Uttar Pradesh.
• Helped in the unified development of the Garhwal region. It includes the construction of the new hill station for the New Tehri Town (NTT).
• All the possible facilities, such as better communication, health, education, non-pollution industries, attracting tourists, horticulture development, forestation, fisheries, etc were also provided to NTT for the advantage of the people living in this region.   

Purpose of the Tehri Dam Andolan

Bhagirathi River is one of the major tributaries of the river Ganga, on which the Tehri Dam is built in the hills of Uttarakhand. Tehri Dam is the fourth tallest dam in the world and is managed by the Tehri Hydro Development Corporation (THDC). The corporation was specially formed in 1988 to manage the dam. 

The Tehri Dam Andolan took place to save the environment from the harmful effects. The Tehri Dam project was objectified by many environmental activists, the people of Tehri districts and the other areas. The relocation of around 1,00,000 people from the area to construct the dam led to legal battles for their resettlement rights. Another reason for this Dam Andolan was that in case the dam falls, it can largely affect the lives and livelihood of Rishikesh, Meerut, Haridwar, Bijnour, and other neighbouring cities within a few hours.  

Tehri Dam Tourism Activities around the Reservoir Tehri Lake

Tehri Lake or Tehri Dam reservoir is an emerald green waterbody in Uttarakhand, which is created after the Bhagirathi River was rerouted to fill the Tehri Dam reservoir. The Tehri Lake is nestled amidst the Verdant Hills, which makes it the perfect spot for a weekend gateway and Tehri dam tourism spot. The Tehri dam reservoir is the spot for boating in the Tehri dam reservoir, Tehri lake. 

The Uttarakhand Government has been taking initiatives to make the Tehri Dam location one of the biggest adventure spots for tourists. They are planning to bring adrenaline-rushing water sports and other aerial activities to this Dam reservoir for turning it into an adventure spot. Floating huts and houseboats also have been launched to cater for the accommodation needs of the tourists. A few adventure sports on this Dam reservoir are as follows:

• Paragliding – This adventure activity involves the experience of being a bird that the tourists can never forget. 
• Jet Skiing – It is a water sports activity to make This dam tourism a memorable experience for the visitors and tourists. 
• Banana Boat Ride – It is just another best part about the This dam location and activities as the rider on the yellow boat can go overboard and in the Tehri dam reservoir water for a more fun experience.

Latest Updates About Tehri Dam

January 2022

AAP to address the problems of people relocated because of Tehri Dam construction

The AAP leader Manish Sisodia said that if the party wins the election in Uttarakhand, they will address the problem of people who had to relocate because of this Dam project.  He also said that the ₹1,100 crores that go to Uttar Pradesh as a part of its revenue share from the Tehri dam will come to Uttarakhand. 

Sisodia also said that the people should give a chance to AAP after alternatively giving the governmental power to BJP and Congress for so many years, saying that the Chief Minister of Delhi, Arvind Kejriwal alone has the solutions for the people’s concerns. 

Manish Sisodia also did door-to-door campaigning for the party for the AAP candidate Trilok Singh Negi for the Burari area of Uttarakhand. He said that the party will bring Delhi’s Development Model to Uttarakhand if the party wins the election and gets the power. 

January 2022

Uttarakhand’s Republic Day Tableau showcases the religious sites of the state

During the Republic Day parade, Uttarakhand represented several religious and connectivity sites in the state in its tableau. The front part of the tableau showcased the Gurudwara Hemkund Sahib, followed by the Dobra-Chanti Bridge that links the Tehri Garhwal districts and Pratap Nagar. The tableau also showcased the tallest dam in India and the fourth tallest dam in the world, Tehri Dam in its middle part and the Badrinath Temple was showcased at the end part of the tableau. Also, the Chardham road was showcased on the side portions of the Uttarakhand’s float. 

Location of Tehri Dam India on Map

Ways to Reach Tehri Dam

There are three ways in which the tourists and visitors can easily reach this dam location. 

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