Sabarmati: Six new barrages are being planned by the Gujarat government over the Sabarmati River, which flows through Ahmedabad. These barrages will be built at an estimated cost of ₹1,500 crore.

With these six upcoming barrages and three under-construction barrages—including the state’s first rubber weir—the total number of barrages on the Sabarmati River between Dharoi Dam (Mehsana) and Vasna Barrage (Ahmedabad) will reach 14 in the next three years.

Union Home Minister and Gandhinagar MP Amit Shah laid the foundation stone for one of the barrages in Ambod, Gandhinagar, on January 14, where he highlighted the development of “14 dams (barrages)” along the Sabarmati. Construction is also underway on two barrages at Fatepara (Mehsana) and Acher (Ahmedabad).

The six proposed barrages will be located at Chhelpura, Techava, Fudeda, Falu, and Ged in Mehsana, and Rajpur in Gandhinagar.

According to a senior official from the Gujarat Water Resources Department, the project aims to improve groundwater levels in villages along the river and ensure surface water retention for most of the year. Currently, the Sabarmati dries up around October-November, but the new barrages are expected to maintain surface water at least until February.

Notably, the rubber barrage, costing ₹55 crore, is part of a ₹290 crore bridge-cum-barrage project. Made of an air-filled flexible rubber membrane, it will regulate water storage and release as needed. The barrage will support the Sabarmati Riverfront extension to Gandhinagar and serve as a vital water source during crises. DeshGujarat