Amthane gets electric gates after four decades

Panaji: The Amthane dam in Latambarcem, which was first made operational in 1988, has finally got new electrical gates. The two-month operation, which cost over Rs 13 crore, replaced the older manual valves on its gates.The project was initiated after a water crisis occurred in Bardez when the Amthane gates jammed earlier this year, failing as a backup when the Tillari supply was shut for canal repairs in the winter. Navy divers eventually had to cut off the gates to allow the release of water, necessitating the repairs.“The works involved Rs 1.6 crore for gate repairs, Rs 3.4 crore for electrical works, Rs 6.9 crore for maintenance on the dam, while Rs 48 lakh was spent on pipeline works and Rs 93.9 lakh on strengthening the existing conduit and intake well,” said an official of the water resources department (WRD).The reservoir was drained during the 2025 monsoon to carry out the repair works. “It is the first time the Amthane dam gates have been replaced since the dam was made operational in 1988. Amthane dam gate repairs were finally completed after two months,” said WRD chief engineer Dnyaneshwar Salelkar.“The gates no longer have manual valves but electrical ones. Now, four pumps have been installed instead of two. While two pumps will pump water to the Latambarcem industrial estate, one will be used for irrigation and one for drinking water to Mencurem,”In Jan, after the left-bank canal carrying water to Goa from the Tillari reservoir was breached, Bardez plunged into a drinking water crisis. While the supply from Tillari was completely stopped to carry out repairs to the canal, the WRD found it was unable to release water from the alternative source — the Amthane dam.It was discovered after the Tillari supply shut that the gates of the Amthane dam were jammed. This led to the Porvorim water treatment plant completely shutting down for want of raw water.