The construction of main dam was initially envisaged in a period of 110 months, and was targeted for completion by June 1996. Because of certain mobilization difficulties, the schedule was revised in December 1989 and the completion time was increased to 129 months with target date for completion revised to January 1998. As per this schedule, the diversion of water for partial irrigation and generation of power (at dam elevation of 110 m) was envisaged by June 1995. The schedule could not be adhered mainly due to the constraints associated with the resettlement and rehabilitation of the project affected persons.

The construction work on the main spillway portion of the dam remained held up for over five years due to a writ petition in the Supreme Court. The honorable Court in its final judgment on 18th October 2000 gave directions for completion of dam as per the award of NWDT. The Court gave directions for the immediate raising of the dam up to elevation 90.0 m with direction to the Narmada Control Authority (NCA) to give permission for further raising of the dam on pari-pasu completion of the resettlement and rehabilitation works and the environmental measures.

The NCA, which is monitoring the Resettlement and Rehabilitation (R&R) progress of SSP, finalized an action plan for completion of R&R works in its 61st meeting held on 17th November 2000. The Action Plan finalized by NCA was also accepted by the Review Committee for Narmada Control Authority (RCNCA) in its 8th meeting held on 10th January 2001. The R&R time frame as per above action plan and the corresponding tentative schedule for completion of dam works is given below:

(*) Instead of 110.00 m, the dam was raised upto 110.64 m (corresponding to MDDL) (afflux level 128.16 m) in the next stage as discussed in the 70th meeting of NCA held on 12/13 March 2004.

(**) Instead of EL 121.00 m, the dam is being raised upto EL 121.92 m (crest level of the spillway) in the next stage as discussed in the 71st meeting of NCA held on 11th May 2004.

The NCA's stipulated target however was not achieved due to the slow progress of Resettlement and Rehabilitation works. Permission for raising of the effective dam height to EL 95.0m was given by NCA in its 64th meeting held on 17th May 2002, and the work was completed by middle of July 2002. The NCA in its 66th (Emergency) meeting, held on 14th May 2003, gave permission to raise the main spillway blocks (Nos. 30 to 46) up to EL 100m, along with permission to construct 3.0m high hump over blocks 31 to 45, leaving the blocks 30 and 46 as such for the safety of downstream stilling basin. The said work was completed by the end of June 2003. Subsequently the NCA in its 70th meeting held on 12th/13th March 2004 granted permission for raising the blocks no.30 to 46 to EL 110.64 m level.

Besides these, the blocks numbering 29,47,48,49 and 50 which were at EL 105.0 m level, were also required to be raised to the EL 110.64m level for achieving the effective dam height of 110.64 m. The work with the total quantum of 164699 m3 of concreting, commenced on 17th March 2004 and was completed on 30th June 2004. After deliberation on the R&R works in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat and Maharashtra and with the recommendations of Environmental and R&R Sub-groups, in the 76th emergency meeting of NCA held on 8th March 2006, permission was granted for raising the block nos. 30 to 46 to EL 121.92 m level.

The work of raising these blocks to 121.92 m commenced on 9th March 2006 and was completed on 31st December 2006. The balance works remaining to be carried out are raising of piers and installation of Radial Gates in the spillway portion of the dam. As per Court's directions, the permission for further raising of dam is now to be given by the NCA, after obtaining clearances from the Resettlement and Rehabilitation Sub-Group, the Environmental Sub-Group and in consultation with the Grievances Redressal Authorities (GRA's) of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh.

The overall progress of Main Dam (Unit-I) achieved up to  September 2010
is given below:

PROGRESS OF MAIN DAM (UNIT-I) WORKS UPTO SEPTEMBER 2010

Note: TCM: Thousand Cubic Metre TRM: Thousand Running Metre