Tungabhadra Dam is an important dam built across the Tungabhadra River in Hospet taluk of Vijayanagar district in the state of Karnataka. This dam is also known as ‘Pampa Sagar’. The foundation for its construction was laid in 1945 and it was completely constructed by 1960.
Distances from Tungabhadra Dam
- Bangalore – 340 km
- Hospet – 7 km
- Hospet Railway Station – 8 km
Tungabhadra Dam Timings
The visiting hours for this dam are from 8 am to 8:30 pm. Entry is not allowed after 7 pm.
History and Features of Tungabhadra Dam
On 28th February 1945, the foundation stone of Tungabhadra Dam was laid near present day Munirabad. The program was jointly inaugurated by Azam Jah, the seventh and last Nizam of Hyderabad (who was given the honorary title of ‘Prince of Berar’ in 1936) and Baron Sir Arthur Hope, Governor of Madras Province. The construction work started under the leadership of Tirumale Iyengar.
But due to controversies over the use of construction materials, the end of the Nizam’s rule, the independence of India and the change of administration, the project progressed at a slow pace.
Then Sir M. Under the supervision of a board of engineers headed by Visvesvaraya, construction resumed and gained momentum. As a result of this project, about 90 villages were submerged and more than 55 thousand people were displaced.
In 1953, water started flowing in the canals for the first time. Construction of three major canals, hundreds of kilometers long, continued, and the project was completed by the 1960s.
Tungabhadra Dam is a multi-purpose project that serves multiple purposes such as irrigation, power generation and flood control. Initially it was a joint scheme of Hyderabad State and Madras Provinces, then in 1953 it became a joint scheme of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh.
Built jointly by the governments of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh near Hospet in Bellary district, this dam is one of the largest in the state. About 2441 meters long and 49.38 meters high, Tungabhadra Dam is mainly built for irrigation purposes.