For the first time in three years, authorities on Wednesday opened five gates of Tawa Dam in Itarsi here as the water level in the reservoir increases.
According to the officials, five gates were opened by four feet each releasing 33,695 cusecs of water around 6 pm today after the water level in the reservoir reached 1162.10 feet.
The gates of the dam are being opened for the first time since 2016.
"Due to the rising water level in the reservoir, water was first released for HEG power plant. Due to rains in Baitual district and Pachmarhi catchment area, water is also being released from Satpuda dam. That water is also accumulating at Tawa dam," Water Resource Department SDO NK Suryavanshi said.
The inflow of water is around 60 thousand cusecs, he added.
The Narmada River is reportedly expected to swell by 1.5 feet due to the release of water from the dam. However, the authorities are keeping an eye on the situation and manage the water release accordingly.
The gates were last opened in 2016 after heavy rains and flood-like situation in the area. However, due to low rainfall in the year 2016 and 2017, the gates were not opened.