Narmada Main Canal is said to be the ‘LIFELINE OF GUJARAT’ and is being constructed by the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited, a Public Sector Undertaking of the Government of Gujarat. It is part of the Sardar Sarovar (Narmada) Project which is a multipurpose river valley project in the western part of India. The Project will provide irrigation benefits to about 3.5 Million hectares of land and generate about 950 MW hydro power at 60% load factor
About Narmada Main Canal in Gujarat :
Narmada Main Canal is a contour canal. It is the biggest lined irrigation canal in the world. It is about 458 km. long up to Gujarat -Rajasthan border. It has a capacity to flow 1133 cumecs (40000 cusecs) at its head-at kevadia and reducing to 71 cumecs (2500 cusecs) at the Gujarat -Rajasthan border. The canal extends further in the state of Rajasthan to irrigate areas in Barmer and Jhalore districts of Rajasthan. The cross section of the canal, at its head is 73.1m x 7.6m (Bed width x Full supply depth), with 2:1 inner side slope. It has a velocity of water in the initial reach is 1.69 m/sec.
The Main Canal is lined with plain cement concrete to minimise sippage losses to attain higher velocity and to control the water logging in future. The lining work is carried out with the mechanized pavers. Such a large scale paving of concrete lining is done for the first time in India.The Main Canal in its journey has to negotiate several water streams, rivers, roads, railways etc. This is possible by constructing appropriate structure on the canal. In all, there are 598 Structures on the Narmada Main canal. Out of this 236 structures are cross drainage structures, comprising of 5 Aqueducts, 15 canal syphons, 182 drainage syphons, 33 canal crossing and one super passage.
There are 89 Regulating structures comprising of 1 Main HR, 44 Branch HR, 32 Cross Regulators and 12 Escapes. There are total 274 nos. of Road Bridge including national Highway, State Highway, MDRB, ODRB, VRB, and UVRB etc. (A statement showing the structures in different reach is kept at Annex-I) Narmada Main Canal as on today is almost completed up to 458 km. and water has flown through it and has reached the state of Rajasthan.