The Kerala government is urging a Supreme Court-appointed expert panel to ensure a rigorous safety inspection of the 130-year-old Mullaperiyar Dam. The review, led by former NHPC CMD Balraj Joshi, aims to address long-standing concerns regarding structural integrity and seismic stability. This inspection is a critical step in addressing the decades-old interstate dispute between Kerala and Tamil Nadu regarding the dam's operation.
The Supreme Court-appointed independent committee has commenced a formal safety inspection of the Mullaperiyar Dam, a structure that has been the center of a long-standing interstate dispute for decades. The committee, led by former National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) CMD Balraj Joshi, began its evaluation in early September 2026 to assess the 130-year-old dam's current condition.
The Kerala government has formally requested that the panel strictly follow the terms of reference established in August 2025. State officials have emphasized that the inspection must be exhaustive, specifically focusing on critical metrics such as flood risk management, seismic stability, and the overall structural health of the main, baby, and earthen dam sections. Kerala has underscored the need for the committee to collect fresh material samples to verify the dam's internal stability against modern environmental stressors.
This inspection is significant because the Mullaperiyar Dam is a point of recurring friction between Kerala and Tamil Nadu. While Kerala maintains that the dam’s advanced age makes it a potential safety risk to downstream regions, Tamil Nadu consistently asserts the dam's structural viability and its necessity for regional water supply. The Supreme Court's intervention is an attempt to resolve these conflicting technical claims through an independent, expert-led review.
It is important to note that the Mullaperiyar Dam is a public infrastructure asset and not a publicly traded commercial entity. There is no stock market impact, financial result, or exchange filing associated with this project. For the public and policymakers, the primary monitorable is the upcoming report to the National Dam Safety Authority (NDSA).
The expert panel is expected to submit its findings to the NDSA within the next 10 to 15 days. The conclusions of this report will likely set the stage for future operational decisions and safety protocols for the facility, which remains a key piece of regional infrastructure. Investors and the public will be watching to see if the committee's findings provide a clear technical resolution to the safety concerns that have fueled this long-running legal and political debate.