Gandhinagar: The Gujarat government has granted in-principle approval for the construction of the Badalpur-Kareli Barrage-cum-Bridge across the Mahi River near Dhuvaran in Anand district. The project is expected to benefit lakhs of people in Anand, Vadodara and Bharuch districts by improving drinking water supply, irrigation and road connectivity. The government has also decided to expedite the survey work for the project.

According to Rajat Chaudhary, Executive Engineer of the Anand Irrigation Department, the project involves constructing a two-kilometre-long bridge structure across the middle of the Mahi riverbed, which is around 4.5 km wide. Around 70 gates will be installed to regulate the river’s flow and store the maximum possible freshwater during the monsoon. A protection embankment will be built across the remaining stretch. The project will also incorporate flood management technology and a robust cross-drainage system to ensure the safety of both traffic and water storage during heavy rainfall and floods.

One of the project’s biggest advantages is its large water storage capacity. The barrage will be capable of storing around 183 million cubic metres of freshwater.

At present, the region largely depends on the Kadana Dam for drinking water. Once the barrage is completed, dependence on the dam is expected to reduce significantly, while the stored freshwater will provide a reliable source of water for surrounding areas.

Currently, seawater reaches up to the Sindhrot Weir, around 50 km upstream, leading to persistent salinity problems in the region. The construction of the Badalpur Barrage is expected to permanently address soil salinity by maintaining a substantial freshwater reserve. Around 16,000 hectares of land will benefit directly from the project. The increased availability of freshwater is also expected to improve groundwater quality over time, enabling farmers to cultivate multiple crops each year.

The project will provide clean drinking water to more than 15 lakh people across about 80 villages, including 42 villages in Anand district, 30 in Vadodara district and eight in Bharuch district. Border villages will also gain access to fresh water from the Mahi River.

The barrage-cum-bridge will significantly improve road connectivity by reducing the travel distance between Khambhat and Tarapur to Jambusar and the Dahej industrial estate by nearly 75 km. The shorter route is expected to save thousands of litres of fuel every day while reducing travel time. It will also strengthen the movement of goods between the Dahej PCPIR and the Khambhat-Tarapur industrial belt, providing a boost to trade and industry.

According to the Gujarat government, the project will directly or indirectly benefit 409 villages and 32 lakes, including 152 villages in Anand district, 164 in Vadodara and 81 in Bharuch. DeshGujarat