The Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) has been taken up with loan assistance of the World Bank for rehabilitation and improvement of about 223 dam Projects initially in seven States (namely Jharkhand, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, and Uttarakhand) and institutional strengthening and project management in Central Water Commission (CWC) and other Implementing Agencies; the actual number of dams under DRIP may vary owing to the addition / deletion of dams during implementation. DRIP will be implemented over a period of six-years starting from 18th April, 2012.
The project consists of three components:
1) Rehabilitation and Improvement of dams and associated appurtenances : Focusing on structural and non-structural measures at 223 project dams, many of which are more than 25 years old. The number of dams proposed for inclusion in the project is based on proposals received from the four participating states. The states have done a review of the status of their dams and have determined those dams that are most in need of rehabilitation and improvement in order to guarantee their future safety and operational capacity. It was agreed that the states have an option to substitute a few of the currently selected dams with other dams, if it is found that these dams have higher needs. The proposed interventions will include, but not be limited to, such works as: treatment of leakage through masonry and concrete dams and reduction of seepage through earth dams; improving dam drainage; improving the ability to withstand higher floods, including additional flood handling facilities, as required by the hydrological assessments, accompanied by structural strengthening of dams; non-structural measures to cater for higher design floods in case structural measures are physically not feasible; rehabilitation and improvement of spillways, head regulators, draw-off gates and their operating mechanisms, stilling basins, and downstream spillway channels; improving approach roads; improving office and housing accommodation; and improving dam safety instrumentation. The project will also support hydrological assessments and specialized consulting services, e.g. for the design of state-of-the art, but affordable instrumentation. In addition, preparation and implementation of asset management plans, emergency preparedness plans, emergency warning systems, public awareness campaigns, and floodplain mapping will be included in all states. Operators of dams, state design organizations, and engineering cells in WRDs and SEBs will provide design services and day-to-day construction supervision. Consulting services for the more complicated design and third-party supervision services and specialized tasks will be recruited to assist WRDs and SEBs, as needed.
2) Dam Safety Institutional Strengthening in participating States and CWC: Focusing on regulatory and technical frameworks for dam safety assurance. The activities to be carried out will include, but not be limited to, targeted training nationally (especially at the National Water Academy in Pune) and internationally to Dam Safety Organizations at Central (CDSO) and State (SDSO) level to become effective organizations that can take the lead in ensuring that dams remain safe from a structural and operational point of view; in-country and external training of staff of WRDs and SEBs to assist with the development of appropriate skills and modern tools to adequately operate and maintain dams; attendance at dam safety courses; study tours, and linking with foreign country agencies that have advanced dam safety programs such as the United States and Switzerland; operation of independent dam safety review panels, comprising experts in relevant disciplines; development of capacity to carry out reservoir sedimentation studies; development of Management Information Systems (MIS) and other programs to capture and analyze data for long-term planning and guiding of dam operations; support to the further development within CWC of the Dam Health and Rehabilitation Monitoring Application (DHARMA) program that will allow a systematic presentation and interpretation of data for effective monitoring of the health of dams; support to the revision of existing guidelines on dam safety and preparation of new guidelines, as needed; and training in hazard and vulnerability assessment and dam-break analysis.
3) Project Management: The overall responsibility for project oversight and coordination will rest with the Dam Safety Rehabilitation Directorate in the CDSO of CWC. This Directorate will act as the Central Project Management Unit (CPMU). The Directorate will be assisted by a management and engineering consulting firm. Each state will establish a Project Management Unit (SPMU) attached to the WRD Chief Engineer^'s (CE) office in charge of the SDSO. This Unit will have direct responsibility for the coordination and management of the project at state level.