Incomplete Retaining Walls, Blocked Spillway Raise Ambazari Flood Fears

Time of India

08-07-2025

Nagpur: As rain continues to pound Nagpur since Sunday night, fear-induced sleeplessness has once again gripped residents living downstream of Ambazari dam and along Nag river.
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The memories of September 2023 flash floods are haunting residents of the worst-hit neighbourhoods like Corporation Colony and Shankar Nagar, forcing them spend night taking turns to monitor rising dam water levels.
With retaining walls still incomplete and the spillway of the dam partially obstructed by a monument, many fear a repeat of the September 2023 late night disaster.
Despite repeated claims of preparedness by the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC), a ground visit by TOI on Monday revealed glaring vulnerabilities.
In Corporation Colony — the epicentre of September 2023's flooding — at least three critical spots along the Nag river remain unprotected, with no retaining wall constructed. In Shankar Nagar too, the damaged wall along the river remains unrestored, exposing nearby homes to direct flood risk.
"The river is barely metres away from our houses. If it overflows again, we'll have no protection," a resident said, pointing to an open bank where floodwaters surged last year.
Ironically, the same stretch was recently inspected by senior civic officials, including NMC commissioner Abhijeet Chaudhari, during a desilting operation. While heavy machinery was used to clear the silt, no protective structure has been rebuilt since. TOI has already highlighted that of the 56 damaged retaining wall sites across the Nag, Pili, and Pora rivers, 51 have been completed. "Five major sites are pending.
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We have requested additional Rs70 crore from the state to complete them," said NMC chief engineer Manoj Talewar.
However, residents and activists say these delays are inexcusable. What's worsened the situation is the continued blockage of the Ambazari dam's spillway tray — the main outlet for excess water — by the Swami Vivekanand memorial. The monument was constructed much before the flash floods and, although not the cause of the floods, it remains an obstruction in the dam's tail channel.
Retired civil engineer Yeshwant Khorgade explained, "The dam was designed to discharge 320 cubic metres per second (cumec), but the channel area available near the statue is only about 35 sq.m., whereas the minimum required is 107 sq.m. As per IS 7784 (Indian standards codes that provide guidelines for the design of cross-drainage works), this violates safe velocity and flow standards, increasing the risk of overflow.
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Adding to the concern, the Central Water and Power Research Station (CWPRS) study tested the spillway for just 116 cumec — far below the original design. The irrigation department has stated in an affidavit that dam safety is NMC's responsibility. Yet, NMC itself has told the high court it lacks technical expertise to manage a dam.
"This is a disaster waiting to happen," said another flood-hit resident Gajanan Deshpande.
"The dam must be handed over to the state irrigation department. Civic officials are gambling with our lives," he said.
After removing almost all obstacles by widening the stretches and deepening the riverbed, residents say the flood mitigation plan may work this monsoon. "But if we get continuous heavy rain, it might not be enough," said Dr Archana Deshpande, a resident of Shankar Nagar.
As monsoon activity intensifies, with more downpours forecast, experts are calling for an urgent audit of the dam structure, retaining walls, and flood mitigation works. With residents already standing guard each night, it's a race against time to prevent Nagpur from being submerged once more.