List of Major Dams in India for Banking

& SSC Exams - GK Notes in PDF!

Flowing water has always been a treat to watch, but not many people know that flowing
water has the ability to light up our homes. In fact, dams that are built on large rivers
are the prime source of hydroelectricity. Dams hold the river water and channelize it
through pipes or outlets that rotate large turbines for the generation of electricity. In
addition to supplying hydroelectricity, dams also act as reservoirs of water, which can be
used for irrigation and other domestic uses. Learn about the Major Dams in India
for Banking & SSC Exams, which will help you in various competitive exams like SBI
PO, SSC CGL, SSC CPO, IBPS PO, NABARD, Railways Group D, etc.

Major Dams in India for Banking & SSC Exams

Although there is a lot of speculation of the origin of dams, some strong pieces of
evidence in history point out to the Jawa Dam that was constructed in 3000 BCE. After
the success of the Jawa Dam, Egyptians built the Sadd el-Kafara, or Dam of the Pagans,
which was mainly for irrigation purposes. In the current era, the Quatinah Barrage or
Lake Homs Dam, located in Syria, is the oldest operational dam in the world.

• In India, the oldest dam is the Grand Anicut Dam or Kallanai Dam which was
built on the Cauvery River by King Karikalan of Chola dynasty in the first century.
• This dam was built with uneven stones and stands at a length of 329 metres and
width of 20 metres.
• The main intention of this dam was to divert the water across the delta for
irrigation purposes.

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List of Major Dams in India for Banking & SSC
Exams

Here is a list of important dams in India and the rivers on which they are built on.

State Name River Name

Somasila Dam Pennar River

Andhra Pradesh
Srisailam Dam Krishna River

Ukai Dam Tapti River

Dharoi Dam Sabarmati River

Gujarat
Kadana dam Mahi River

Dantiwada Dam Banas River

Himachal Pradesh and

Bhakra Nangal Dam Sutlej River
Punjab Border

Pandoh Dam Beas River

Himachal Pradesh Nathpa Jhakri Dam Satluj River

Chamera Dam Ravi River

Baglihar Dam Chenab River

Jammu and Kashmir
Dumkhar Hydroelectric
Indus River
Dam

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 Uri Hydroelectric Dam Jhelum River

Maithon Dam Barakar River

Jharkhand
Chandil Dam Swarnarekha River

Panchet Dam Damodar River

Tunga Bhadra Dam Tungabhadra River

Linganamakki dam Sharavathi River

Kadra Dam Kalinadi River

Alamatti Dam Krishna River

Karnataka Supa Dam Kalinadi or Kali river

Krishna Raja Sagara

Kaveri River
Dam

Harangi Dam Harangi River

Narayanpur Dam Krishna River

Kodasalli Dam Kali River

Malampuzha Dam Malampuzha River

Kerala
Peechi Dam Manali River

Idukki Dam Periyar River

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 Kundala Dam Kundala Lake

Parambikulam Dam Parambikulam River

Walayar Dam Walayar River

Mullaperiyar Dam Periyar River

Neyyar Dam Neyyar River

Barna Dam Barna River

Madhya Pradesh Bargi Dam Narmada River

Bansagar Dam Sone River

Gandhi Sagar Dam Chambal River

Yeldari Dam Purna river

Ujani Dam Bhima River

Pawna Dam Maval River

Maharashtra Mulshi Dam Mula River

Koyna Dam Koyna River

Jayakwadi Dam Godavari River

Bhatsa Dam Bhatsa river

Wilson Dam Pravara River

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 Tansa Dam Tansa river

Panshet Dam Ambi River

Mula Dam Mula river

Kolkewadi Dam Vashishti River

Girna Dam Girana river

Vaitarna Dam Vaitarna river

Khadakwasla Dam Mutha River

Gangapur Dam Godavari river

Radhanagari Dam Bhogawati River

Lower Manair Dam Manair River

Manair River and SRSP Flood

Mid Manair Dam
Flow Canal
Telangana

Upper Manair Dam Manair River and Kudlair River

Singur dam Manjira River

Nizam Sagar Dam Manjira River

Indravati Dam Indravati River

Odisha
Hirakud Dam Mahanadi River

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 Vaigai Dam Vaigai River
Tamil Nadu
Perunchani Dam Paralayar River

Mettur Dam Kaveri River

Tehri Dam Bhagirathi River

Uttarakhand
Dhauli Ganga Dam Dhauli Ganga River

Major Dams in India for Banking & SSC -

Drawbacks!

While most of us feel that dams are full of benefits, there are some drawbacks that we
need to be aware of.

• First and foremost, the construction of dams has a negative impact on the lives of people
who are staying near the dam.
• In most cases, villages or settlements near the proposed dam areas have to be relocated.
Although this may seem to be a very easy task, it is a mammoth task for the government
authorities.
• There are sentiments associated with areas and relocating people from their homeland is
the biggest constraint that governments have to deal with.

The Sardar Sarovar Dam Project -

This dam was the vision of the first deputy prime minister of India, Sardar V. Patel.
Pandit Jawarharlal Nehru laid the foundation of this dam on April 5, 1961. Recently,
Prime Minister Shri. Narendra Modi inaugurated the Sardar Sarovar Dam on his 67th
birthday.

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As the planning of the dam was underway, the dam caught the attention of social
activists as it was alleged that the dam did not meet required environmental and social
conditions. Among the activists, Medha Patkar took the lead to stop the construction of
the dam.

Popular & Major Dams in India for Banking & SSC

Exam

Here are some interesting facts of popular dams in India:

1. Tehri Dam, Uttarakhand – This is the highest dam in India and it stands at a height
of 260.5 metres. The cost of construction of this dam was US$1 billion. The Tehri Dam is
also one of the tallest dams in the world. Tehri Dam is located on the Bhagirathi River
and has a capacity for generation of 1,000 megawatts (1,300,000 hp) of hydroelectricity.
2. Bhakra Dam, Himachal Pradesh – Standing at 226 metres tall, this dam is built
over the Setlej River in Bilaspur. There is another dam downstream, which is called
Nangal dam. Together both the dams are called Bhakra - Nangal Dam. The construction
cost of this dam in the year 1963 was Rs. 245.28 crore. The Bhakra - Nangal Dam is a
joint venture of three state governments - Rajasthan, Haryana and Punjab.
3. Nagarjuna Sagar Dam, Andhra Pradesh & Telangana – This dam is the fourth
largest dam in India and stands at a height of 124 meters. The construction cost was Rs.
1300 crores and is built on the Krishna River at Nagarjuna Sagar.
4. Hirakud Dam, Odisha – This dam stands at a height of 60.96 metres on the
Mahanadi River. The total cost of construction was Rs. 1.01 billion in 1957.

Now that you know the details of the Major Dams in India for Banking & SSC Exams
then you can click on more links to find more useful GK articles to begin your
preparation.

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