International Conference on Dam Safety Convenes in Bengaluru

18 Feb 2026 CW Team

The conference was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka and presided over by the Deputy Chief Minister. Senior national and international officials and experts attended the inaugural session. The Chief Minister emphasised that dam safety is a national security imperative requiring science-based collaborative action and collective responsibility, and the Deputy Chief Minister called for bold reforms and transparent policies to protect farmers, energy supplies and public investments.

A suite of digital and technical resources was launched, including DAMCHAT, an AI-powered platform developed by the International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED), IIT Roorkee, and the Jal Shakti Data Management platform of the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC). Publications from the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), Karnataka, and design flood estimation guidelines published by the CWC were released. Organisers said these tools will strengthen data-driven decision making for dam safety.

Deliberations covered regulatory frameworks, innovations in structural health assessment, sediment management, risk-informed decision making and coordinated reservoir operations for flood control. More than 750 delegates and representatives from 12 countries attended the first day, while an exhibition of 25 exhibitors showcased monitoring systems, rehabilitation materials and digital solutions. The Minister of State highlighted the urgent need for rehabilitation and modernisation of more than 6,500 specified dams and urged timely implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021 by states and dam-owning agencies. Organisers said the conference is expected to support implementation of the Act and enhance India's leadership in dam safety governance and climate resilience.

The International Conference on Dam Safety (ICDS 2026) opened at the J.N. Tata Auditorium, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, on 13 February under the Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP) Phase II and Phase III. The event is organised by the Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga Rejuvenation (DoWR, RD&GR), Ministry of Jal Shakti, with the Water Resources Department, Government of Karnataka, and collaborators including the Central Water Commission (CWC) and the World Bank. The two-day conference addresses risks to ageing water infrastructure. The conference was inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Karnataka and presided over by the Deputy Chief Minister. Senior national and international officials and experts attended the inaugural session. The Chief Minister emphasised that dam safety is a national security imperative requiring science-based collaborative action and collective responsibility, and the Deputy Chief Minister called for bold reforms and transparent policies to protect farmers, energy supplies and public investments. A suite of digital and technical resources was launched, including DAMCHAT, an AI-powered platform developed by the International Centre of Excellence for Dams (ICED), IIT Roorkee, and the Jal Shakti Data Management platform of the National Water Informatics Centre (NWIC). Publications from the Advanced Centre for Integrated Water Resources Management (ACIWRM), Karnataka, and design flood estimation guidelines published by the CWC were released. Organisers said these tools will strengthen data-driven decision making for dam safety. Deliberations covered regulatory frameworks, innovations in structural health assessment, sediment management, risk-informed decision making and coordinated reservoir operations for flood control. More than 750 delegates and representatives from 12 countries attended the first day, while an exhibition of 25 exhibitors showcased monitoring systems, rehabilitation materials and digital solutions. The Minister of State highlighted the urgent need for rehabilitation and modernisation of more than 6,500 specified dams and urged timely implementation of the Dam Safety Act, 2021 by states and dam-owning agencies. Organisers said the conference is expected to support implementation of the Act and enhance India's leadership in dam safety governance and climate resilience.

Infrastructure Urban

20 Mar 2026

Lemon Tree Hotels Signs Resort In Lonavala Maharashtra

Lemon Tree Hotels Limited (LTHL) has signed a licence agreement for Lemon Tree Resort in Lonavala, Maharashtra, with the asset to be managed by Carnation Hotels Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of LTHL. The resort will offer 50 well appointed rooms and will include a restaurant, banquet, meeting room, swimming pool, spa and fitness centre. The company described the addition as part of its strategy to expand branded resort offerings in key getaway destinations. Lonavala, located in the Sahyadri hills, is a popular leisure destination in western India known for scenic landscapes and a ..

Infrastructure Urban

20 Mar 2026

Kalai Chettinad Art And Architecture Festival At The Lotus Palace

The Lotus Palace Chettinad will host Kalai, the Chettinad Art and Architecture Festival, a four-day, three-night immersive celebration of the artistic legacy of Chettinad from three to six April 2026. The event has been organised by Apeejay Surrendra Park Hotels Limited (ASPHL) and will take place across restored heritage properties in Chettinad. It will be designed to offer guests a layered experience of place, structure and story that connects art, architecture and living traditions. The festival aims to present a confluence of global influences and local aesthetics. Kalai has been curated i..

Infrastructure Energy

20 Mar 2026

SJVN Reaches One bn Units At 1,000 MW Bikaner Solar Project

SJVN Limited (SJVN) has reached a milestone with its 1,000 megawatt (MW) Bikaner Solar Power Project by generating one bn units of electricity on 20 March 2026. The achievement underscores the company's role in supplying clean and sustainable energy to the national grid. The generation milestone was recorded within months of the project commencing operations and highlights rapid performance from the new facility. The Bikaner project, located in Bikaner district of Rajasthan, has been developed and implemented by SJVN Green Energy Limited (SGEL) under the Central Public Sector Undertaking Schem..