Assam: Kalang River revival project in nears 2025 completion with advanced dredging

The long-awaited revival of the Kalang River in central Assam is nearing completion, with state-of-the-art dredgers operating at wartime speed to meet the 2025 deadline. After several years of intense efforts, the Kalang is expected to flow once again, bringing good news to the region.

Using sophisticated dredgers, the river's chest is being excavated at a rate of 100 to 200 meters daily. The entire 22-kilometer stretch of the river is being dredged, and construction of drains connecting the Brahmaputra to Kalangmukh has been completed. The project, costing approximately Rs 135 crore, is on the brink of success with a planned trial run to channel Brahmaputra water through newly built sluice gates at Hatimura in Kaliabor.

The Kalang River, a vital cultural and social lifeline for central Assam, had been dying since the 1970s. In 1963, the river's mouth was closed to prevent Brahmaputra floods, leading to its gradual decline. Local communities have long appealed for its revival. The project, initiated on October 30, 2020, by the then Water Resources Minister Keshav Mahanta, aimed to restore the river's flow through the Nagaon district.

The current Water Resources Minister, Piyush Hazarika, has overseen the project closely, ensuring that the work progresses swiftly. The recent completion of the sluice gate construction marks a significant milestone, with the Kalang expected to flow in a controlled manner by 2024. The ongoing efforts to clean and dredge the river are part of a broader strategy to manage water flow and prevent flooding, addressing both environmental and socio-cultural concerns.

The responsibility for the Kalang River's development was assigned to WAPCOS, a subsidiary of the Central Water Resources Department, known for its international repute. Following a comprehensive survey and field visits in early 2020, WAPCOS initiated the construction of intake and appurtenant structures, marking the formal beginning of the revival project.

With the revival project nearing completion, the Kalang River is set to be reborn, fulfilling a long-standing dream of central Assam's residents. The project's successful execution promises to restore a crucial waterway and revitalize the region's social and cultural fabric.