Panshet Dam, Earth-fill gravity dam in Maharashtra, India

Panshet Dam is an earth-fill gravity dam that blocks the Ambi River and holds back a substantial body of water. The structure spans across the valley with a solid curved profile designed to contain the pressure from the reservoir.

Panshet Dam was built in the late 1950s on the Ambi River for irrigation and, with Varasgaon, Temghar and Khadakwasla, supplies drinking water to Pune. On 12 July 1961, during its first year of storing water, the earthen wall failed because the conduit lacked reinforced cement concrete; plain concrete blocks had been used owing to a steel shortage. The flood killed around 1,000 people in Pune.

The reservoir behind the dam is named Tanajisagar. The Marathi account of the 1961 flood records that books and manuscripts kept in Shaniwar Peth were swept away, and that the Panshet Purgrast Committee later gathered interviews and material into a published book, Panshet Purgrastanchi Kahani.

The dam is best reached from Pune by public bus or private transport, with multiple routes available throughout the day. Visit during or shortly after the monsoon season when water levels are full and the surrounding landscape is greenest.

The reservoir allows visitors to enjoy motorboat rides and kayaking throughout the year, providing options for water-based recreation. The hills surrounding the dam offer walking paths and climbing opportunities for those seeking activities on land.