The Hirakud Dam, the world’s longest earthen dam at 25.4 kilometers, urgently requires a comprehensive overhaul to address structural concerns and enhance its flood-handling capacity, according to Sudhir Kumar Sahu, Additional Chief Engineer of the Hirakud Dam Circle. Built across the Mahanadi River in 1957, this 67-year-old infrastructure, located 12 kilometers upstream of Sambalpur, Odisha, remains a cornerstone of India’s flood control, irrigation, power generation, and water supply systems.

Despite its robust overall strength, Sahu reported superficial cracks and cavities upstream of the reservoir, which forms Asia’s largest artificial lake spanning 743 square kilometers. “We are maintaining the dam properly, and the Central Soil and Material Research Station and Central Water and Power Research Station have given good reports. Its strength is very good, but there are some superficial cracks and cavities upstream,” Sahu told PTI. These issues are being addressed through periodic treatments, with significant upgrades planned under the World Bank-funded Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP-III).

The Central Water Commission (CWC) has recommended constructing an additional spillway to increase the dam’s floodwater discharge capacity from 15 lakh cusecs to 24.6 lakh cusecs to manage probable maximum flood levels. “CWC has told us to build another spillway. It is under process, and an MoU will be signed with the CWC,” Sahu said. The project, part of three major initiatives, includes underwater treatment under DRIP-III and gate automation, alongside the spillway construction. These efforts aim to bolster the dam’s resilience against extreme weather events driven by climate change.

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Funding for routine maintenance is provided by the Odisha state government, while major projects, including the spillway, are supported by the central government. Despite a strong monsoon in 2025, effective management ensured no downstream flooding. “We opened 20 gates in the first phase and later closed them. This season, we opened 12 gates. Now, two gates are open, and there is no flood in the downstream area,” Sahu noted.

Sahu emphasized the critical need for central government support, stating, “Hirakud Dam is more than 65 years old. So, overhauling is necessary, and the central government is cooperating in many ways with the state government.” As the dam, inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in 1957, faces new challenges, these upgrades are vital to preserving its role as a multipurpose lifeline for Odisha.

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