Navi Mumbai: The Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) has claimed that the Ransai Dam in Dighode village in Uran is safe and the plaster that was washed away during heavy rain in July this year happened due to heavy flow of water. This has not affected the wall of the dam.
During the heavy rains in July, the plaster of the wall was dislodged due to overflowing water from the Ransai dam at MIDC's Uran, said RG Rathod, Executive Engineer of MIDC in a press statement.
Dam wall in good condition
As per the statement issued by MIDC, between December 2022 and January 2023, the density inspection of Ransai Dam was conducted by the Central Water and Power Research School, Pune. The inspection report indicated that the dam wall is in good condition and safe. An overflow section exists to drain the excess water after the Ransai dam is filled to the brim. A safety coating is also provided on the sump to ensure a smooth flow of water over the sump.
Spillway designed to prevent downstream erosion
In addition, a stilling basin downstream of the 'spillway' is designed to dissipate the energy of the fast-flowing water of the dam and to prevent erosion downstream. The flow of water has dislodged the concrete in some places in the stilling basin. Also, the old additional safety coating on the spillway area of the dam walls was washed away by the fast-flowing water.
However, the dam wall is intact and it has not affected the main structure. The dam supplies water to more than one lakh population in 37 Gram Panchayats, Uran township and government establishments. The Ransai Dam was built by the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC) around 50 years ago and it is the prime source of water for 37 Gram Panchayats, Uran Municipal Council, JNPT township, ONGC, BPCL colonies, and government establishments like defence among others.
