Out of the 66 gates of Sukkur Barrage, 56 gates will be replaced, and soon 27 more gates will also be changed, said Sindh Minister for Irrigation, Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro while speaking to the media after an awareness workshop.
The Sindh Irrigation Department has completed a hydraulic study to resolve the issues of Sukkur Barrage, for which a one-day awareness workshop was organized at Boat Basin, Karachi.
Sindh Minister for Irrigation, Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro attended the workshop as chief guest, while PD Pritam Das and other experts were also present. In the seminar, experts gave a detailed briefing on the hydraulic problems of Sukkur Barrage and their possible solutions. On this occasion, Artelia International Consultant also presented an important technical briefing.
After the workshop, Shoro told journalists that the Sukkur Barrage is the lifeline for the province’s water supply.He explained that nearly a century ago, in 1938, some issues had already emerged in the barrage. Its current capacity is about 8 lacs cusecs of water flow, but due to silt accumulation instead of water, difficulties have persisted for many years.
He further stated that water testing was conducted in Pune’s laboratory, and river flow was observed at Rohriwala Bridge in Bakkar to obtain accurate information. He said that after a century, it was decided to carry out a complete inspection of the barrage to determine its present condition and necessary improvements.
Shoro added that with the cooperation of the World Bank, the Sindh government is working on development. In this regard, it has been decided to replace 56 of the barrage’s 66 gates. In the first phase, the foundations of 17 gates were cleared, followed by measurements of river flow. According to the minister, wherever minor issues were found, they were immediately corrected. Next, 27 more gates will be replaced, and in the third year, the remaining 12 gates will be completed.
The irrigation minister said that some gates are completely closed (10 gates), and opening them could improve the barrage’s performance. He warned that if more than 1.2 million cusecs of water comes to the barrage, the flow will be monitored, and if 1.5 million cusecs arrives, the barrage’s strength could be at risk. For this reason, checks and balances will be maintained at every level to ensure the barrage’s safety.
