A ₹159.50 crore barrage on the Daman-Ganga river near Vapi in Gujarat's Valsad district is set to be constructed, with the project expected to provide irrigation to 549 hectares of agricultural land, improve groundwater recharge, and strengthen water availability for domestic and industrial use. The barrage, proposed near Namdha village in Vapi taluka — approximately 3 km downstream of the existing Vapi Weir — has been fast-tracked under Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.

Project Structure and Storage Capacity

The construction has been commissioned as an Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) project by the state government's Department of Narmada, Water Resources, Water Supply and Kalpsar. The barrage is designed to hold a gross storage capacity of 5.49 million cubic metres (MCM) across a catchment area of 2,250.73 sq km. Water stored in the structure will be delivered to farms through lift irrigation, including pressurised irrigation facilities.

Six Villages to Benefit from Irrigation

The irrigation component of the project identifies six villages as direct beneficiaries: Namdha, Chandor, Mohan, Eklahare, Nahuli, and Jamburi. The government expects the additional water supply to help farmers bring currently unirrigated land under cultivation and potentially grow two or more crops a year, which officials say could meaningfully raise agricultural incomes in the region.

Industrial, Municipal and Groundwater Benefits

The project is also positioned to support Vapi's industrial and municipal water requirements. Data for 2024–25 show that the existing Vapi Weir supplied 19 MCM of water to the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation (GIDC)'s Vapi estate, 7.30 MCM for water supply schemes, and 6 MCM to the Vapi Municipal Corporation — generating combined revenue of ₹69.15 crore, according to officials. The proposed barrage's additional storage is expected to expand non-agricultural water supply and generate further revenue.

Beyond direct supply, the project is designed to create a water storage stretch of approximately 3.5 km upstream, which officials expect will recharge existing tube wells in Vapi town. The barrage will also regulate tidal water ingress and limit salinity penetration into the riverbed — a persistent concern in this coastal-proximate district.

Urban Development and Livelihoods for Vapi

The state government has outlined a range of urban benefits for Vapi, which has a population of approximately 2.3 lakh. These include improved drinking-water availability, riverfront development, recreational facilities such as parks and boating areas, and a new road corridor across the river intended to ease urban mobility. The project is also expected to generate local livelihood opportunities that could help reduce seasonal migration from the region. Officials have framed the barrage as part of the government's longer-term water security agenda for Valsad district, addressing growing agricultural, domestic, and industrial demand.