Gandhi Sagar Dam

About:

The Gandhi Sagar dam is the first of the four dams built on the Chambal river. It is located in the Mandsaur district of Madhya Pradesh. It is a 64 metre high masonry gravity dam, with a live storage capacity of 6,920 Mm3 and a catchment area of 22,584 km2. The dam was completed in the year 1960. The hydro-power station comprises five generating units of 23 MW capacity each. The water released after power generation is utilised for irrigation through Kota Barrage.

The Chambal River impounds in the Gandhi Sagar Reservoir. The Gandhi Sagar dam serves Gandhi Nagar, Mandsaur District, Madhya Pradesh. The Water Resources Department of Madhya Pradesh maintains the Gandhi Sagar Dam. The construction of this dam started in 1954 and was completed in 1970. The Gandhi Sagar Dam is 513 metres long and its height rises upto 62.20 metres.

The Gandhi Sagar Power Station now supplies electricity throghout the District and as well as to the nearby places in Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan.

Gandhisagar Dam is situated at a distance of 168 Km from the District headquarter. Foundation stone for the construction of Gandhi Sagar Dam / Power Station in the District was laid by the Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on the 7th March, 1954. The work was started in 1957 in the power station, while power generation and its distribution commenced in November, 1960. The total expenditure on the construction of Gandhi Sagar Dam and Power Station was about Rs. 18 Crores 40 Lakhs. The expenditure on construction of Power Station was Rs. 4 Crores 80 Lakhs.

Gandhi Sagar Power Station is 65 meter long and 56 feet wide. The Power Station has five turbines of 23 M.W. capacity, thus having a total installed capacity of 115 M.W.