Vaigai Dam

The Vaigai Dam is built across the Vaigai River near Andipatti, in the Theni district of Tamil Nadu, southern India. It provides water for irrigation for the Madurai district and the Dindigul district as well as drinking water to Madurai and Andipatti.[2] Near the dam, the Government of Tamil Nadu has constructed an Agricultural Research Station for researching the growing of a variety of crops, including rice, sorghum, blackgram, cowpea and cotton.[3]

Vaigai Dam
Location of the Vaigai Dam in Tamil Nadu
Official nameவைகை அணை
CountryIndia
LocationAndipatti, Theni district, Tamil Nadu
Coordinates10°03′12″N 77°35′23″E
Opening date29 January 1959
Dam and spillways
Height33.8 m (111 ft)
Length3,560 m (11,680 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity174,000,000 m3 (6.144752010×109 cu ft)[1]
Power Station
Operator(s)Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited
Commission date3 April 1990
TypeGravity dam
Turbines2 x 3 MW
Installed capacity6 MW

History

Vaigai Dam was inaugurated on 21 January 1959[4] by then Tamil Nadu chief Minister Mr. K .Kamaraj.[5]

Capacity

Vaigai Dam measures 111 ft in height and can store water up to 71 ft, with a total storage capacity of 6,143 mcft.[5][1]

Maintenance

Vaigai Dam is maintained by Water Resources Department[6] which in turn managed by the Tamil Nadu Public Works Department. The dam is illuminated every Sunday as it is one of the premier picnic destinations in the region.[7]

Vaigai Dam Park

A Small and beautiful park is maintained by the Water Resources Department on both sides of the Dam. A small bridge connects the two sides of the park in front of the dam. The park also have a children play area.

Vaigai Dam Hydroelectric Power Plant

Vaigai Hydroelectric Power Plant was design capacity of 6 MW. It has 2 unit(s) of 3 MW each. The first unit was commissioned in 1990 . It is operated by Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO).[8][9]

Upcoming developments

Vaigai Dam is one of the 104 dams in Tamil Nadu that is proposed to be improved under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project ( DRIP).[10]

Transportation

By Road:The dam is situated at 7 km from Andipatti, 14 km from Theni and 70 km from Madurai.

By Train:The nearest railway station is Dindigal station which is located 61 km away from the dam. The Railway station in Theni is not functioning.

By Air:The nearest airport is Madurai Airport(IXM) which is 80 km away from the Dam. Air connectivity is available from Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Vijayawada. International connectivity is available to Colombo,[11] Dubai[12] and Singapore.

  • Vaigai Dam at Twilight
  • Vaigai Dam in the Daylight
  • Vaigai dam closeup
  • Vaigai dam Full view
  • Vaigai dam backwater reservoir
  • Vaigai dam sideview
  • Aerial view

References
  1. "Reservoir details" (PDF). www.wrd.tn.gov.in.
  2. "Water released from Vaigai dam for irrigationRiver Vaigai near Andipatti, the dam with a height of 111 feet can store 71 feet of water. It is 7 km from A ndipatti, 14 km from Theni and 70 km from Madurai. This dam was opened on January 21, 1959". The Hindu. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  3. "Welcome to Agricultural Research Station, Vaigai Dam". Tamil Nadu Government. Retrieved 9 August 2007.
  4. "Data" (PDF). agritech.tnau.ac.in.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 19 February 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Water Resources Department, Govt. of Tamil Nadu - Dams". www.wrd.tn.gov.in.
  7. Anantharaman, Ambjuam (2006). Temples of South India (second ed.). East West. p. 127. ISBN 978-81-88661-42-8.
  8. distribution., Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) was formed on 1 July 1957 under section 54 of the Electricity (Supply) Act 1948 in the State of Tamil Nadu as a vertically integrated utility responsible for power generation, transmission and. "Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation Limited (TANGEDCO)". www.tangedco.gov.in.
  9. "Papanasam Hydroelectric Power Plant India - GEO". globalenergyobservatory.org.
  10. "Details" (PDF). www.wrd.tn.gov.in.
  11. Arockiaraj, J (21 September 2012). "Finally, Madurai gets international connectivity". The Times of India. Retrieved 12 July 2020.
  12. "Business News, India Stock Market, Personal Finance, IPO, Financial News Headlines - The Financial Express". www.financialexpress.com. Archived from the original on 21 February 2015. Retrieved 12 March 2015.
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