Ahmedabad, June 4 (IANS) The much-delayed multi-billion-rupee Narmada dam project, often termed Gujarat’s lifeline, is now expected to be completed by 2009-2010, its executing agency said Wednesday. In a quarterly status of the project filed on the Bombay Stock Exchange in terms of the listing agreement, the Sardar Sarovar Narmada Nigam Limited, a Gujarat government undertaking, said the height of the dam had reached 121.92 metres following clearance from the Narmada Canal Authority.

The Nigam is obliged to convey the quarterly financial results following the listing of its deep discount bonds issued in 1993. But since the project is under execution, the Nigam has to provide the quarterly status of the project.

The status report filed by the Nigam said the work on the Narmada main canal is almost completed up to 357 km out of a total length of 458 km. Work on the remaining part is in progress.

All five units of the canal head power house and all six units of riverbed power houses have been commissioned, the report added.

It added the height of the dam will be raised from time to time after necessary clearances. Canals and other works will be completed in phases and “it is expected that the entire project will be completed by 2009-10″.

The dam on the Narmada river in central Gujarat was to have been completed by June 1996. Later the completion date was revised to June 1998.

The project when completed would provide assured irrigation to 1.8 million hectares of land in Gujarat and 75,000 hectares in Barmer and Jalore districts of Rajasthan. It would bring potable water to 8,215 villages and 136 towns in Saurashtra, north Gujarat and Kutch.

In addition, the project will generate 1,450 MW of hydropower which would be shared among Gujarat (16 percent), Maharashtra (27 percent) and Madhya Pradesh 57 (percent).

The project has been opposed by the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) led by Medha Patkar, on environmental grounds as well as the rights of the people being displaced in the catchment areas.