Govind Sagar Lake " The Unsurpassed Model Of Engineering "

The India 's third largest lake created by constructing world's largest reinforced cement concrete gravity dam on river Satluj at village Bhakra district Bilaspur, Himachal Pradesh is an "unsurpassed model of Engineering " named on the name of Shikhas 's tenth Guru Shri Guru Govind Singh "Govind Sagar. "

                           Govind Sagar View

The salient features of this man - made lake are  :-

It is created by constructing the Bhakra dam , highest in the world,  226 metres  (741 feet) high, 520 metres  ( 1700 feet) long at the top, 9.10 metres (30 feet) wide on crest and 191 metres (625 feet) wide at base. 

Temple of Modern India ,Bhakra Dam,(Pt.JawaharLal Nehru, The First Prime Minister of India) 

The Govind Sagar is spread over an area of 168.035 square Kms from Bhakra to Slappar  then Lathaiyani

in Bilaspur, Mandi and Una districts of Himachal Pradesh. The lake traverses through Lathaiyani, Raipur, Kodara Brahmnighat Jaddu Kuljar, Malraon, Dhani -Pukhar, Bagh-Chhal, Bharoli -kallan, Narlaghat, Rishikesh, Bilaspur, Kandrour, Dehar, Slappar, Jagat -Khana, Jeori- Pattan, kala -kund,  Nakrana, Khulwin and Bhakra villages. The lake has covered 88 km length  between Bhakra to Slappar. 

             View of Govind Sagar at Brahmnighat 

The Govind Sagar has 9.34 billion cubic metres water storing capacity, the third largest lake in India. The first is Indira Sagar in MP with a capacity of 12.22 billions cubic metres and second is Nagarjuna Sagar with storing capacity of 11.56 billions cubic metres of water on Krishna river in Andhra Pradesh. 

          View of Govind Sagar near Bilaspur Town 

 The Bhakra Dam is situated at a distance of 11 km from Nangal , road running through Brahmla, Goalthay, Nehla, kala-kund to Bhakra.  The dam is at a distance of 37 Km from Sawarghat ( kenchi -morning) and 20 km from Naina devi. 

   View of Govind Sagar from Bilaspur (Temple submerged in water)

The crystal clear water of Govind Sagar , surrounding  hills with green forests adds immense beauty to dam and looks very beautiful. 

The Govind Sagar is country's largest fishing lake and has created employment opportunities to a large numbers in fishing. Numbers of fish landing centres have been constructed at various locations around the lake. 

Water sports are becoming major attraction of the lake. Visitors from various parts of the country are regularly visiting the dam and lake every year. There is a Nehru Centre at the dam displaying all photographs and models of dam ,Pt. Jawhar Lal Nehru's photographs along other leaders and Er. Slocum under who's guidance this project was executed. Audio of Nehru 's Inaugural speech is also available at Nehru centre. 

Now silting is main problem to the lake, tonnes of silt is flowing to the lake from the large catchment area every year. It must be checked. 

                      View of Govind Sagar

The Govind Sagar lake is  supplying water to generate 1325MW electricity at Bhakra and regularly supplying water for Irrigation to Punjab , Rajasthan  and Himachal thus adding to the green revolution. 

We must visit Bhakra dam and enjoy boating In Govind Sagar. 

We honor and salute to all those Engineers and workers who were associated with this unsurpassed model of Engineering and also to all the scientists, Engineers and all other Technocrates  who are associated with real development of humility. 

                          Beautiful View of Lake

       

            

                Sun set view of Govind Sagar

              By :-

                                               Er. R C Verma.