Jhansi: The 140-year-old Parichha Dam in Jhansi has been recognised as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) by the International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID), putting the historic irrigation marvel of Bundelkhand on the global heritage map.The dam will be conferred the WHIS award in Oct during the 26th ICID International Congress and 77th International Executive Council meeting in France. Three other irrigation structures from India have also been selected for the honour.The WHIS recognition is given to irrigation structures that are more than a century old and continue to remain functional. Earlier, in 2022, the Sukwa-Dukwan Weir in Jhansi was also included in the ICID heritage list.Built across the Betwa river, the Parichha Weir is 1,174 metres long and rises 16.8 metres above the riverbed. It has 318 steel falling shutters, which increased the reservoir’s storage capacity from 1,700 million cubic feet (MCF) to 2,400 MCF.The imposing structure, built with solid rubble-stone masonry, comprises two sections with an island in between. It serves as the headworks of the Betwa Canal System, one of the major irrigation networks developed to provide water to the drought-prone Bundelkhand region.The idea of developing a canal system for Bundelkhand was first proposed by Captain Strachey in 1855 following a detailed survey. The project was delayed after the 1857 uprising, and construction of the weir eventually began in 1881 at an estimated cost of Rs 40 lakh. The canal system became operational in 1886.For nearly 140 years, the weir has continued to function, providing irrigation to five districts spread across Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Its original British-era engineering features, including iron and wooden components dating back to the time of its commissioning, remain visible at the site.The weir is also a popular tourist attraction, particularly during the monsoon when water gushes over the sluice gates, creating a spectacular waterfall-like sight. Besides its irrigation role, the reservoir supplies water to the adjoining Parichha Thermal Power Project, which has an installed generation capacity of 920 MW. The weir is also set to have a role in the ambitious Ken-Betwa river-linking project.Chief engineer, Betwa, Ambuj Dwivedi, said the Betwa Canal System is a major irrigation network serving parts of Bundelkhand in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh. Water is diverted from the Betwa through the Parichha Weir and distributed through an extensive canal network.“For more than a century, the Parichha Weir and the Betwa Canal System have remained in continuous operation. The total length of the canal network is approximately 2,654 km and it irrigates around 4,28,360 hectares,” he added.
