The renovation of the scenic Maithon Dam, which began in May 2017 with an 18-month deadline, is now likely to be completed in June 2020, a delay of 18 months.

The Rs 60-crore venture is being carried out under World Bank-sponsored Dam Rehabilitation and Improvement Project (DRIP).

Public Relations Officer of Damodar Valley Corporation M. Vijay Kumar said, “The project has been delayed slightly. Instead of the allotted 18 months, it is now likely to be completed in 36 months.”

“We will also carry out fencing around the dam to protect the soil. We have also initiated steps to set up a state-of-the-art weather forecasting system with the latest equipment,” Kumar said, adding that a similar project is also underway at Panchet Dam on river Damodar.

Kumar said beautification of the lake would also be carried as part of the DRIP.

“Since heavy machinery is being used for strengthening work, beautification would serve no purpose now,” he said.

The DRIP project was conceptualised keeping in focus the issue of building resilience against seismic risks.

Located around 48km from the coal town, Maithon’s major attraction is the of 15,712-feet-long and 165-feet-high dam situated over Barakar river and the lake spread over 65sqkm. Boating around the several islands situated on the lake including Sabuj Deep and Chamoch Deep is also a key attraction among tourists. The Maa Kalyaneshwari Temple, barely 100 metres from the dam, is also another tourist magnet.

Around 35 species of birds including grebes, cormorant, rail, crakes, moorhens, coots, kingfisher, herons, egrets, bitterns and storks are regularly spotted in the lake.