Only a Barrage Can Save! - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 94

Construction of the Barrage and the Canal
Investigations for the barrage and the canal were launched by West Bengal gov-
ernment in 1948; it was taken over by the CWPC, New Delhi in 1950. Two
sites were inspected for the barrage, one at Rajmahal in Bihar and the other
at Farakka in West Bengal. For the sake of stability and economy of construc-
tion, Farakka was chosen as the better site. Besides topographical and geological
surveys, long and cross-sections of the river, observations on the gauge and dis-
charge, silt-load, shift of channels, explorations of foundation etc. were carried out.
Necessary hydraulic model studies were made by the CWPRS, Pune and at the
RRI, West Bengal. The CWPC was entrusted with designs of various components
of the barrage. Another outfit, The Ganga Basin Organization, was set up under
the Union Ministry of Irrigation and Power to conduct studies about the project.
Another organization, the Farakka Barrage Project was also launched under the
same Ministry with the headquarters initially in Kolkata and later shifted to Farakka
in 1964.
Farakka had no facilities except a rail-head for passenger and goods trains, a
ferry service for people and cargo to cross the Ganga and a police station. It was just
a village, with no post, telegraph or telephone services. The project authorities first
took up construction of staff quarters, hostels, dormitories, warehouses, power house
and office premises as well as procurement of heavy machineries and construction
materials. It began field surveys and set up finance and security outfits, workshop,
laboratory, hospital, school, post and telegraph office, telephone exchange, mar-
ket and other essential infrastructure. Engineers of various disciplines, technicians,
skilled and unskilled workers were recruited to build and run a huge project. A sep-
arate organization, called the Farakka Barrage Control Board, was launched, under
a central minister to oversee expenditures and execution of the project. The Calcutta
Port opened a hydraulic study department for observations on the Hooghly, their
study and evaluation in laboratory. The construction of a huge structure on the allu-
vial and mobile sand-bed was a tremendous task and by the end of 1965, the vast
project was like tiny David facing the giant Goliath of an untamed mighty river. A
high-level technical advisory committee was constituted in 1962, drawing experts
from across India.
The specifications and the main components (also given in Fig. 7.1) were
1. The total length of the barrage was 2244.40 m, or 7363-6 feet between abut-
ments with 109 bays of 18.30 m, or 60 feet clear span each with a rail-cum-road
bridge over it;
2. A head regulator at the canal head, having 11 bays of 12.19 m, or 40 feet clear
span each;
3. A 38.30 km, or 23.80 mile, long canal with design bed-width of 150.90 m,
or 495 feet taking off from the Ganga above the barrage and falling into the
Bhagirathi, near Jangipur town in Murshidabad district;
4. A barrage at Jangipur, of 15 bays of 12.19 m, or 40 feet clear span each, over the
Bhagirathi;