Rs 159.50 crore barrage to come up on Damanganga River near Vapi

Gandhinagar: In a major development for residents of Valsad district, the Rs 159.50 crore Daman-Ganga Barrage project near Vapi is set to commence soon. The project is expected to boost irrigation, groundwater recharge and water security in the district.

An Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contract has been awarded for the Daman-Ganga Barrage near Namdha village in Vapi taluka of Valsad district. The proposed barrage will be located approximately 3 km downstream of the existing Vapi Weir.

Once completed, the project will have a gross storage capacity of 5.49 million cubic metres (MCM) and a catchment area of 2,250.73 sq km.

The proposed Daman-Ganga Barrage near Vapi is expected to deliver multiple benefits, including improved irrigation facilities, groundwater recharge, drinking water availability, salinity control and socio-economic development.

549 hectares of agricultural land to get irrigation

According to an official release, the barrage is expected to create irrigation potential for around 549 hectares, with stored water supplied to farmers through lift irrigation. The six identified beneficiary villages are Namdha, Chandor, Mohan, Eklahare, Nahuli and Jamburi. The project could benefit a significant portion of currently unirrigated agricultural land through pressurised irrigation.

The project is expected to increase farmers’ incomes by providing irrigation facilities to their farms. Assured availability of irrigation water throughout the year could enable farmers to cultivate two or more crops annually, contributing to their economic prosperity.

The barrage is also expected to strengthen water availability for industrial and municipal requirements in Vapi and the surrounding areas.

Data for 2024-25 shows that the Vapi Weir supplied 19 MCM of water to GIDC-Vapi for industrial use, 7.30 MCM for water supply and 6 MCM to Vapi Municipal Corporation. These supplies generated total revenue of Rs 69.15 crore. The additional storage created by the proposed barrage could support increased non-agricultural water use and generate additional revenue for the civic body.

Another major benefit of the project will be groundwater recharge. The project is expected to create a water storage stretch extending about 3.5 km upstream of the barrage, potentially helping recharge existing tube wells in Vapi town. This could improve groundwater quality and soil conditions, increase water availability for domestic use and support Vapi’s future development.

Barrage to control salinity ingress

The barrage is also designed to help control tidal water intrusion and prevent salinity ingress into the riverbed, thereby supporting groundwater recharge in the surrounding areas.

For Vapi, the project could bring wider urban benefits, including improved drinking water availability for a population of about 2.3 lakh, recreational facilities such as parks and boating areas, riverfront development, and a new road corridor across the river to improve urban mobility. DeshGujarat