Sardar Sarovar Dam: Completed 56 Years After Planning, Gates Installed Within 17 Days of Modi Becoming PM

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi recalled the long and eventful history of the Sardar Sarovar Dam in the Rajya Sabha while responding to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address. He highlighted that though the project was envisioned by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and laid by Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru in 1961, bureaucratic delays and political indecision kept it unfinished for decades. The dam was ultimately completed under Modi’s leadership.

Historic Planning and Delays
According to archival records, Sardar Patel first conceptualized harnessing the waters of the Narmada River in 1946, long before Modi’s birth. Following Patel’s demise, successive Congress-led governments failed to execute the plan efficiently, leaving the project stalled for over 50 years due to red tape and indecision.

Modi’s Protest as Gujarat CM
As Gujarat’s Chief Minister in April 2006, Narendra Modi undertook a 51-hour fast to protest the UPA government’s refusal to increase the dam’s height. His fast highlighted the importance of the project for millions of farmers dependent on the Narmada’s waters.

Quick Action as Prime Minister
Once elected as Prime Minister in 2014, Modi cut through the policy deadlock. Within 17 days of taking office, he approved the installation of the dam gates—a step that had been delayed for nearly a decade.

Completion and Impact
On September 17, 2017, Modi dedicated the fully completed Sardar Sarovar Dam, standing at 138.68 meters in height, to the nation. The dam now irrigates millions of hectares of land in Gujarat and supplies water to the arid regions of Kutch, transforming agriculture and livelihoods.

Critique of Past Governments
Modi criticized Congress for decades of policy delays, claiming a project originally budgeted at ₹900 crore ballooned to ₹90,000 crore due to inefficiency. He described Congress’s approach to major projects—including Sardar Sarovar, the Kashmir railway project, and the Bogibeel Bridge—as “delay, derail, and distract,” asserting that past governments lacked the intent to execute national projects effectively.

Key Takeaway
The Sardar Sarovar Dam stands as a testament to sustained political commitment and decisive governance, bridging decades of inaction to provide water security and development to millions in western India.