The Bhakra Beas Management Board’s (BBMB) ambitious plan to desilt the Gobind Sagar reservoir of Bhakra Dam has hit fresh trouble after Himachal Pradesh objected to tenders issued for the project. The state government contends that the board failed to obtain the mandatory No Objection Certificate (NOC) before initiating the process.
According to documents available with The Tribune, Himachal Pradesh has informed BBMB that since the entire reservoir area earmarked for desilting falls within its territorial jurisdiction, prior state approval was required before floating tenders.
In a communication to BBMB authorities, the Secretary (Power) and Director (Industries) reportedly stated that no excavation activity within the reservoir area can proceed without the requisite NOC from the state government.
Sources said the objection has forced BBMB to revisit its tendering strategy. The board is now considering reissuing tenders with a modified condition: the successful contractor would be responsible for obtaining all necessary clearances, permissions, and NOCs from Himachal Pradesh and other agencies before commencing work.
The development has created uncertainty around a project viewed as a historic intervention for one of northern India’s most important water and power infrastructure assets.
The proposed desilting is significant as it would be the first large-scale attempt since Bhakra Dam became operational in 1959. BBMB had planned to begin excavation at two sites: Lunu in Bilaspur district and Seer Khad in Una district of Himachal Pradesh.
Estimates prepared by the board suggest that nearly 150 million cubic metres (MCM) of silt is available for removal at each location. However, officials acknowledge that complete removal is impractical. Under current projections, contractors may be able to excavate only about 4-5 MCM annually due to operational constraints.
Desilting operations can be carried out only during the five-month period when reservoir water levels recede enough to expose large stretches of accumulated sediment.
The urgency stems from the growing loss of storage capacity in Gobind Sagar. Studies by BBMB indicate the reservoir has already lost nearly 26% of its original storage capacity due to continuous sediment deposition over the past six decades.
While the dam’s designers had estimated annual silt inflows of about 33.61 MCM, actual inflows have averaged around 39.01 MCM per year — about 6 MCM more than anticipated. The cumulative impact of this excess sediment has substantially reduced the reservoir’s live storage capacity.
The shrinking storage has implications beyond water storage. It affects hydropower generation, irrigation supplies, flood moderation, and long-term reservoir management.
Sources told The Tribune that even if the tendering issue is resolved, major challenges remain. Environmental approvals, transportation logistics, seasonal limitations, and the sheer scale of sediment accumulation are likely to slow progress.
Despite the setback, officials maintain the project is crucial for preserving the long-term utility of Bhakra Dam. If implemented successfully, the initiative could become a model for sediment management in ageing reservoirs across the country, many of which face similar problems of declining storage capacity due to siltation.
