‘Sindh barrages improvement project’: WB terms implementation progress ‘satisfactory’

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has rated the overall implementation progress of “Sindh Barrages Improvement Project” worth around $300 million, satisfactory, which envisaged strengthening the Sindh Irrigation Department’s capacity to operate, and manage barrages and improve the reliability and safety of Guddu and Sukkur barrages in the province.

The bank in its “Implementation Status and Results Report (ISR)” also termed the progress toward achievement of project development objective, satisfactory. Official documents revealed that the project has made substantial progress. Contract for Guddu barrage rehabilitation was extended until March 2027 and works at Guddu have reached 63 percent physical progress for the barrage and substantial completion for the river training works.

The rehabilitation of the Sukkur barrage started in February 2023 and shows steady progress, currently at 16 percent physical progress. The desilting of Rice Canal was completed in May 2024.

In June 2024, a serious incident affected two of the existing main gates of the Sukkur Barrage, resulting in a drastic reduction of the canal discharges for about eight days, before the Irrigation Department was able to restore the service.

Immediate action was taken with support from the project resources to strengthen other barrages gates. The two damaged gates will be replaced by new ones under the project in the coming six months.

There are three components to the project, the first component being rehabilitation of the Guddu barrage. This component will support rehabilitation of the barrage and its associated structures. The component will finance: concrete repairs along the upstream gate grooves and rehabilitation of both fish ladders; removal of the left pocket dividing wall and construction of a new left pocket dividing wall to widen the left pocket and improve its ability to reduce the quantities of sediment entering the Ghotki feeder canal; and river training works through construction of a left-bank spur to promote favourable river approach conditions to the barrage and strengthen the upstream existing river training works.

The second component is the improved barrage operation. This component will support the establishment of the BMO and modernisation and improvements to the barrage O&M. Institutionally this will include undertaking a study to design the BMO structure, defining roles and responsibilities, and moving towards a more service oriented culture. Technically the bank will finance necessary upgrades to the monitoring instrumentation, such as piezometers, gate positioning and water measurement equipment, replacement of surveillance and maintenance boats, and procurement of hydrographic equipment. The project will support workshops and provide a stock of spare parts, for use in maintenance activities. The instrument monitoring system for the barrage will be renovated, and the operations staff will be equipped with an updated operation, maintenance, and surveillance manual.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025