Are India’s Dams Showing Signs of Aging?

Swift Summary

• Historian Daniel Klingensmith cited the central role of large dams in post-independence India’s modernization strategy, with 418 large dams initiated between 1951 and over 4,000 completed by 2000.
• many indian dams are ageing; as of 2023,1,065 were between 50-100 years old and 224 exceeded a century. Ageing infrastructure raises safety and performance challenges.
• Sedimentation has reduced reservoirs’ capacities severely-for example, Bhakra Dam lost nearly 25% capacity in its first three decades while Lower Bhavani Dam dropped by more than a quarter between the late ’50s and early ’00s.
• Structural failures (e.g.,concrete deterioration),hydraulic failures (e.g.,overtopping during floods),and geotechnical issues (seepage) are primary modes of dam failure worldwide. The Tigra Dam first failed due to overtopping in India in 1917; since then there have been at least 36 recorded dam failures.
• In response to risks associated with ageing dams:

– Dam Safety Act (2021) mandates inspections, operational guidelines, emergency action plans overseen by State and Central agencies like National Committee on Dam Safety and National Dam Safety Authority.
– Dam Rehabilitation Improvement Project (DRIP) aims at modernizing safety standards for ageing structures using technology like seismic monitors. Phases I-III have undertaken work across hundreds of high-risk facilities since preparation began c2012-’16 framework itself evolving projections into financial backing growing into compliant physical added ancillary deployments actionables -recommend’s might become exhaustive unit tally-based matrix filling confidence gaps mainly structural upgrades compliance checkpoints tracked
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– Article states saw Kerala alone noting Inspection Date’d structural know material gain through added l.skills climate models increasing dynamic monitoring انصاف ends ضمانINLINE critical+