Narmada River forms the boundary between North and South India. It is one of the principal rivers in Central India that runs from east to west. River Narmada originates in the Maikala Range in the east-central part of Madhya Pradesh. The river enters the Vindhyas and Satpura range at Marble Rock Gorge, after flowing through hills of Madhla. Then, it flows westward and enters the Gulf of Cambay through and estuary, which is 13 miles in width. The river flows through the states of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra.
The Narmada River Valley Project also known as Sardar Sarovar Project was conceived by Jawaharlal Nehru, the first Prime Minister of India in 1940. With an objective to build about 3200 large, medium and small dams, the river valley project got a concrete shape in 1979. The project aims at providing hydro-electric power to Madhya Pradesh and the arid regions of Gujarat. It is noteworthy that Narmada River Valley Project has got notoriety in the recent years due to the opposition by the villagers. The Narmada Bachao Andolan activists had obstructed the construction of the dam in the early 90s. However, the construction of the dam is in progress after the Supreme Court of India issued orders in 2000.
Last Updated on 16th Dec 2012