Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Sunday inaugurate the newly constructed second biggest dam, Sardar Sarovar Dam, nearly six decades after its foundation stone was laid, during his visit to Gujarat on his birthday. Grand Coulee Dam in the United States is the world's biggest dam.
The new gates of the Sardar Sarovar Dam raise the height of the dam to 138.68 metres.
“Modi will inaugurate Narmada Dam at Kevadiya in the presence of religious leaders and others. Later he will address people at Dabhoi in Vadodara district,” state BJP spokesperson Bharat Pandya said.
The Narmada Control Authority in June, 2017 granted permission to the state government to close the gates, which will raise water level in the Sardar Sarovar reservoir, after being convinced that rehabilitation of the people displaced due to the project was complete.
This will be Modi’s sixth visit in 2017 to his home state where Assembly elections are due by year-end. Ahead of Modi’s visit, the state will organise Narmada Mahotsav Yatra from 6-15 September.