Gandhi Sagar Dam - 10 Things to Know Before Visiting

One of the largest dams in India, Gandhi Sagar Dam is a popular tourist destination. The dam spans the Chambal River and forms a large artificial lake, offering visitors a chance to enjoy a variety of water sports. Boating, fishing, and swimming are all popular activities. 

The dam is also a well know spot for bird watching. It attracts many migratory and domestic birds throughout the year. The congregation of water birds exceeds 20,000 at some parts of the reservoir, the International BirdLife Agency qualifies it under A4ii criteria.

The Gandhi Sagar Dam is a masonry gravity dam on the Chambal River in Madhya Pradesh, India. The dam forms the Gandhi Sagar Reservoir, which has a live storage capacity of 7.33 billion cubic metres and an extensive irrigation network. The foundation stone of the dam was laid by Prime Minister of India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on 1954, and construction of the dam was completed in 1960. It was named after Mahatma Gandhi.

The dam was built as part of the larger Chambal Valley Project, which was designed to promote irrigation and flood control in the region. Between 344 kilometres and 440 kilometres from the Chambal's source is an area of deep gorges, the dam is located in the middle reach of this gorge section. It is 62.17 meters high and 514 meters long.

The project included the construction of three dams (Gandhi Sagar, Rana Pratap Sagar, and Jawahar Sagar) along the Chambal River, as well as a network of canals and dykes. The area was an ideal location to have multiple projects as the river drops 625 meters between its source and in Mhow and the city of Kota, which marks the exit of the river from its gorge section to the plains of Rajasthan. 

Water released from the upstream dam is then used by the lower dam to generate electricity and divert water for irrigation. The large project was developed in three stages by the states of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh.

The reservoir is used primarily for irrigation purposes, but it also provides water for hydroelectric power plants located downstream from the dam. In total, the three dams along the Chambal River generate around 389 megawatts of electricity. 

The best time to visit the Gandhi Sagar Dam is during the monsoon season. During the monsoon season, the dam is filled with water, and the surroundings are lush and green. There is also a chance to see the gates opening up to release the water. However, be sure to pack your rain gear, as the rains can be heavy at times.

1. During the monsoon months, all 19 gates of the dam open up offering spectacular views for the visitor. This happens generally in August.
2. In case you are coming to do some fishing at the reservoir, it is prohibited between 16 June and 15 August of every year.

1. The reservoir created by the dam is the third largest in India after the Indiranagar Reservoir and Hirakud Reservoir.
2. The Gandhi Sagar Wildlife Sanctuary is in the catchment area of the Gandhi Sagar reservoir. The sanctuary's forested area was once a hunting area of the Holkar royal family of Indore.

On average, visitors spend about three hours exploring the Gandhi Sagar Dam. It is possible to access the top of the dam, and also to do some boating and bird watching in the reservoir.

From Kota, you can take buses or taxis to the Gandhi Sagar Dam. It is about 100 kilometres by road. Kota is connected to the rest of the country by the national railway lines.

There is no entrance fee for Gandhi Sagar Dam but if you are planning to do boating, the pricing is extra.

The dam is open 24 hours a day and the activities in the reservoir close by evening.