Chronology of Events - The Ganga: Water Use in the Indian Subcontinent - page 230

Year Events

1958-1960 Long debate in Indian Parliament on the deterioration of the Bhagirathi-Hooghly,

Calcutta Port activities and on the need for a barrage.
K. K. Framji joins the Ganga Barrage organization as its head and starts a scientific
study of the problem by examining the reports of the past expert investigations
and the recommendations thereon. He recommends that in 1960 that the
construction of the Farakka Barrage may immediately be started.

1960 Prime Minister J. L. Nehru assures Dr. B. C. Roy, Chief Minister of West Bengal

that the project would be included in the ongoing Five-Year Plan. Administrative
approval and financial sanction of the project for about 590 million rupees given
by the Government of India and green signal given for construction of the
barrage and other allied works.
Ganga Barrage Field Investigation Circle formed and field surveys started.

1961 National Development Council includes the Farakka Barrage Project in five-year

plan.
Pakistan is informed that the work on the project has started.
A high-power control board is formed, headed by the Union Minister of Irrigation
and Power, constituted with the Government of West Bengal Minister of
Irrigation and Waterways as Deputy Chairman, the Union Ministers of Railways,
Transport and Finance, the Calcutta Port Commissioners as members and the
Chief Engineer of the Project as Member-Secretary.
A Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) of the Project formed with experts from
all over the country as chairman and members.
R. B. Chakravarty, an engineer of repute from the irrigation department of the
Government of West Bengal appointed Chief Engineer of the project.

1962 The Calcutta Port Commissioners set up a Hydraulic Study Department to carry

out investigation and improvement works in the Hooghly and its estuary.

1963 The barrage site is selected by Dr. K. L. Rao, Union Irrigation and Power Minister.

Debesh Mukherjee joins as Chief Engineer of the project in place of R. B.
Chakravarty.
The Farakka Barrage Project office starts functioning from Kolkata.

1964 The project office is shifted to Farakka. The construction of the barrage starts.

1965-1967 Three bays, No. 1 to 3 and the head regulator on the right bank and bays No. 109 to

101 from the left bank completed.
M/s. Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) starts work from the left bank and
the National Projects Construction Corporation (NPCC) starts work from the
right bank. M/s. Jessop & Company is entrusted with all structural steel works,
like gates, hoists etc.
Excavation work of the feeder canal is started by M/s. Tarapore & Company and
M/s. G. S. Atwal & Company.
Navigation lock work started by the NPCC.

1966-1967 Bays No. 100 to 78 from left bank completed.

Navigation lock work suspended. Works on Jangipur barrage.

1967-1968 Bays No. 77 to 53 from left bank and Bays No. 4 to 12 from right bank completed.

1968-1969 Bays No. 13 to 52 completed.

1967-1970 Erection of steel gates completed.

1964-1975 Feeder canal excavation including the bridge work at RD 62 (Pakur Road bridge)

completed in April 1975.

1975 On 21st May, the barrage is dedicated to the nation by Jagjivan Ram, Union

Ministry for Irrigation and Power.

1987 Navigation Lock commissioned by Rajiv Gandhi, Prime Minister of India.