Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has sought environmental clearance for the ambitious ₹1.33 lakh crore Kalpasar Project, which proposes the construction of a massive 60.13-km dyke across the Gulf of Khambhat to connect Bhavnagar and Bharuch districts. According to the project’s Pre-Feasibility Report, the dyke will connect Kardej village near Bhavnagar with Paniyadra village in Bharuch.

Three Sections of the Dyke Alignment

The proposed 60.13-km alignment has been divided into three sections:

• A 26.7-km stretch through the sea portion of the Gulf of Khambhat

• A 19.83-km western flank connecting the dyke to NH-751 near Kardej village in Bhavnagar

• A 13.6-km eastern flank connecting the dyke to State Highway-6 near Paniyadra in Bharuch

The project aims to create a freshwater reservoir spread across nearly 1,600 square kilometres with a live storage capacity of 7,807 million cubic metres. The reservoir will collect water from the Sabarmati, Mahi and Dhadhar rivers.

How Will the Dyke Connect the Two Places?

Apart from water storage, the dyke is also planned as a major transport corridor linking the eastern and western sides of the Gulf. The structure will be around 130 metres wide and will include a 16-lane roadway and a four-track railway line.

The roadway will have eight lanes in each direction to handle future traffic demand, while the railway system will include separate tracks for passenger and freight movement.

Road and Railway Connectivity

The total road network, including access links and highway connections, will span about 100.5 km, while the railway alignment will cover around 97.43 km.

On the Bhavnagar side, the road will connect with NH-751 and extend to SH-36 at Ghangalia and NH-8E at Sonegadh to distribute traffic efficiently. On the Bharuch-Dahej side, it will connect with SH-6 at Paniyadra and Aladar, and further link to the under-construction NH-64.

The railway alignment will run parallel to the road along the main dyke section between Kalatalav and Paniyadra. On the Bhavnagar side, it will connect to the Nari railway station. On the Dahej side, it will deviate toward Bharuch, passing through Pipaliya, Pakhajan, Cholad and Munubar before merging with the existing railway line at Bharuch.

New railway terminals are also proposed near Ramdev Nagar in Bhavnagar and on the outskirts of Bharuch.

The transport corridor has also been designed with safety and environmental measures, including emergency utility lanes, pedestrian zones and a dedicated tree belt on the reservoir side to reduce disturbance to aquatic life.

Travel Distance to Reduce by Nearly 180 km

According to the report, the project is expected to significantly reduce travel distance between Bhavnagar and South Gujarat, including Surat and Mumbai.

Currently, commuters have to travel around 240 km around the Gulf of Khambhat, but the direct dyke route will reduce the distance to about 60 km, cutting nearly 180 km of travel.

Officials believe the improved connectivity could help create a major economic corridor between Bhavnagar, Bharuch and Ahmedabad. DeshGujarat