📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Makhan1971
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Ujjain’s Gahira Dam Holds Only 27% of Capacity, Raising Summer Drinking‑Water Concerns
✍️ Amar Ujala · Ujjain
🗓 27 Oct 2026, 01:16 PM
👁 15
The Gahira Dam in Ujjain, with a total storage of 2,250 MCFT, now contains just 612.58 MCFT – about 27% of its capacity – prompting fears of a drinking‑water shortage this summer.
The Gahira Dam, located on the Narmada River near Ujjain, was designed to store 2,250 million cubic feet (MCFT) of water. Recent measurements show the reservoir level has fallen to 612.580 MCFT, roughly 27 percent of its full capacity.
Such a sharp decline comes as the region approaches the peak summer months, when demand for drinking water surges. Authorities have already earmarked ₹365 crore for augmenting Narmada water supply, but the dwindling dam levels could strain those plans.
Local officials warned that if the trend continues, the city may face acute water shortages, prompting them to explore emergency measures such as water tankers, rationing, and accelerated completion of pending water‑distribution projects.
The situation underscores the broader challenge of water management in central India, where erratic monsoon patterns and rising temperatures are increasingly testing existing infrastructure.
Residents are advised to conserve water and stay alert for updates from the Ujjain municipal corporation regarding any supply adjustments.
Such a sharp decline comes as the region approaches the peak summer months, when demand for drinking water surges. Authorities have already earmarked ₹365 crore for augmenting Narmada water supply, but the dwindling dam levels could strain those plans.
Local officials warned that if the trend continues, the city may face acute water shortages, prompting them to explore emergency measures such as water tankers, rationing, and accelerated completion of pending water‑distribution projects.
The situation underscores the broader challenge of water management in central India, where erratic monsoon patterns and rising temperatures are increasingly testing existing infrastructure.
Residents are advised to conserve water and stay alert for updates from the Ujjain municipal corporation regarding any supply adjustments.