Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, Rawatbhata: History and Visiting

Rana Pratap Sagar Dam, on the Chambal River near Rawatbhata, is one of the major dams of the Chambal Valley project and an impressive sight in its own right. Built across the river, it holds back a large reservoir that spreads out among low hills, creating expansive water views and a cool, breezy setting.

The dam supplies hydro-electric power and irrigation, and its surroundings, including the reservoir and nearby forest, attract birds and make for a pleasant outing. When the gates are opened in a good monsoon, the rush of water over the spillway is a dramatic spectacle.

Combined with the nearby Baroli temples and Bhainsrorgarh, Rana Pratap Sagar makes the Rawatbhata side one of the most varied day trips from Kota and a scenic stop on a Hadoti tourism circuit.

History of Rana Pratap Sagar Dam

Rana Pratap Sagar Dam was built in the second stage of the Chambal Valley Project, the joint Rajasthan-Madhya Pradesh scheme planned from 1953 to harness the Chambal for power and irrigation. Its power station was declared open by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on 9 February 1970. The dam and power plant are named after Maharana Pratap of Mewar.

It is a masonry gravity dam about 53.8 m high, standing at the lower end of the river’s run across the Kundal plateau, about 48 km below the Gandhi Sagar Dam in Madhya Pradesh. The next structures downstream are the Jawahar Sagar Dam, about 28 km away, and then the Kota Barrage. The powerhouse at the foot of the dam has four 43 MW units, 172 MW in all. Because much of the water it uses is released from Gandhi Sagar, the power is shared equally with Madhya Pradesh. Its extra storage also enlarged the area the Kota canals could irrigate.

The dam and reservoir, together with the nuclear power station built near the town, made Rawatbhata an important energy town. About 1.6 km below the dam the river drops over the Chuliya falls, one of the dramatic sights of the gorge in the monsoon.

The reservoir

The lake behind the dam spreads far upstream among low, wooded hills. It is a good place to watch waterbirds in winter, and the drive along the reservoir gives long views across the water. The dam is a working power station and part of a sensitive energy area, so stay on public roads and viewpoints, follow signs and staff instructions, and assume that photography of the structure and plant may be restricted.

A day out from Kota

Rawatbhata is about 59 km by road from Kota. A good loop leaves Kota early, visits the Baroli temples (10th century, among the earliest temple groups in Rajasthan), then continues to the dam viewpoints and, if you have time and a booking, Bhainsrorgarh on its cliff above the Chambal. Our Hadoti temple architecture guide will help you get more from Baroli.

What to see at Rana Pratap Sagar Dam

• 53.8 m masonry gravity dam on the Chambal
• Expansive scenic reservoir
• 172 MW hydro-electric power station (four 43 MW units)
• Dramatic monsoon spillway flow
• Birdlife around the reservoir

Visiting Rana Pratap Sagar Dam: practical details

Detail	Information
Where	Rawatbhata, Chittorgarh district
Distance from Kota	About 59 km
Best time to visit	August to March (monsoon for spillway, winter for weather)
Timings	Daylight hours (dam viewing subject to security rules)
Entry	Free / nominal (photography may be restricted)
Getting there	From Kota, drive about 59 km to Rawatbhata; the dam is close to the town on the Chambal River.

Distances are approximate road distances. Timings and entry charges change from season to season, so confirm them locally or with the district tourist office before you set out.

Combine Rana Pratap Sagar Dam with nearby places

• Baroli Temples: An exquisite 8th-10th century Pratihara-era temple complex near Rawatbhata, among the earliest and finest in Rajasthan.
• Bhainsrorgarh Fort: A dramatically sited fort on a narrow cliff above the Chambal River, now a heritage hotel, offering stunning river views.
• Menal Waterfall & Temples: A dramatic seasonal waterfall in a deep gorge, paired with an old group of Shiva temples, on the Kota-Chittorgarh route.

For the Baroli temples, Chuliya Falls, Bhainsrorgarh and a one-day plan, see Rawatbhata tourist places.