The Kalpasar project, a long-pending initiative to create a massive freshwater reservoir in the Gulf of Khambhat, has received a fresh push after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the Netherlands last month.
The project aims to store river water that currently flows into the sea and could transform water availability in Saurashtra, while also improving connectivity and generating renewable energy.
The Detailed Project Report (DPR) is in its final stages, and the estimated cost of the project is at least ₹1.2 lakh crore.
The proposed reservoir will have a gross storage capacity of 13,000 million cubic meters, larger than the Sardar Sarovar dam's 9,460 million cubic meters.
No single village will be submerged, and the existing villages will remain, with some villages losing access but no displacement of human beings or villages.
The project proposes a 64-km-long dam across the Gulf of Khambhat to create a reservoir spanning around 2,000 sq km.
The reservoir will be fed by rivers including the Mahi, Sabarmati, and Dhadhar, and is expected to irrigate nearly 10 lakh hectares across nine districts of Saurashtra.
The project will require environmental and coastal clearances before construction, which officials estimate could take around 15 years once approvals are secured.
