Panchet Dam

Panchet Dam is a major multipurpose dam on the Damodar River at Panchet on the Jharkhand-West Bengal border in Dhanbad district, Jharkhand. Built by the Damodar Valley Corporation and opened in 1959, it is the last of four DVC dams. The earthen dam with concrete spillway creates a large reservoir backed by Panchet Hill, providing flood control, irrigation and hydroelectric power and serving as a popular scenic and picnic destination.

Visitors can expect a large earthen dam with concrete spillway across the Damodar River forming a vast reservoir surrounded by Panchet Hill and forested banks. The site offers panoramic views of the water body, dam structure and hills from designated viewpoints. Visitors can walk along the dam top, view the reservoir, enjoy boating on the lake, photography and picnicking in open areas. The surroundings are open and scenic with limited shade and basic visitor amenities.

Panchet Dam was constructed by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) as the fourth and last of its four multipurpose dams in the Damodar Valley. Construction was completed in 1959 and the dam was inaugurated by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on 6 December 1959. Built as an earthen embankment with concrete spillway, it was designed for flood control, irrigation and hydroelectric power generation as part of India's first multipurpose river valley project modelled on the Tennessee Valley Authority.

The dam and its reservoir are a well-known recreational and picnic destination for residents of Jharkhand and West Bengal, set against Panchet Hill which is associated with the historic Garh Panchkot area.