The Farakka Barrage is built across the Ganga river in Murshidabad, West Bengal. Positive impacts of this barrage include easy navigability of Kolkata Port, improved irrigation and reduced flood risk in some areas.
See also: Chamravattom Bridge Kerala: Fact guide
Farakka Barrage: Specifications
| Farakka Barrage length | 2,304 m |
| Farakka Barrage construction cost | $208 million |
| Farakka Barrage gates | 109 |
| Farakka Barrage opening year | 1975 |
- Farakka Barrage’s construction began in 1961 and was completed in 1970 at a price of $208 million. The bridge started operations on April 21, 1975.
- It was constructed to divert water from the Ganges to the Hooghly River for navigation and to irrigate agricultural lands in West Bengal.
- The barrage is 2,304 m and has 109 gates that control the flow of water.
Under-construction Farakka Setu project
The under-construction four-lane Farakka Setu or Farakka Bridge is 500m downstream from the Farakka Barrage. RKEC Projects in collaboration with Qingdao Construction Engineering took up this project, construction of which started in January 2019.
This second bridge will connect the north and south Bengal and ease traffic on the Farakka Barrage. When complete, this bridge spanning 5.468 km will be the longest in West Bengal. The bridge’s entire construction expense is estimated to be around Rs 521 crore.
FAQs
What is the Farakka Barrage?
The Farakka Barrage is a barrage (dam) built on the Ganges River in West Bengal. It was built to divert water from the Ganges River to the Hooghly River for the purpose of flushing silt deposits from the Kolkata Port.
When was the Farakka Barrage built?
The Farakka Barrage was constructed between 1961 and 1975.
What is the length of the Farakka Barrage?
The total length of the Farakka Barrage is around 2,340 m.
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