SUKKUR: Sukkur Barrage, Pakistan’s largest irrigation system will remain closed from January 06 for 15 days for renovation and cleaning.
Sukkur Barrage authorities have announced that all seven off-taking canals of the barrage will remain closed for 15 days from January 06-20. All gates of the barrage have been opened for annual cleaning and renovation of the structure.
During the cleaning and renovation process all gates of the barrage will be repaired and painted.
Sindh’s Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro recently said that under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project (SBIP) 27 gates will be replaced this year. He said the gates will be replaced and the geo physical investigations would be carried out at the upstream and downstream Sukkur Barrage floor.
Irrigation minister said that the Coffer Dam has been constructed from the Gate 15 to 22. He said the life span of the barrage would be increased about 30 years after the completion of rehabilitation works. “The replacement work of 19 gates will begin in January”. Minister said, Sindh’s 80 percent agriculture depends for water on Sukkur Barrage.
The barrage’s 16 gates had been replaced in the annual closure of the last year. He said 55 gates of seven off-taking canals of Sukkur Barrage would also be replaced after replacement of 55 barrage gates.
The Sindh Barrages Improvement Project includes gates replacement at the barrage, dredging of river at upstream of Sukkur Barrage and construction of Coffer Dam.
Sukkur Barrage has 66 gates. The water work was inaugurated by British Viceroy of India Lord Wellington on January 13 in year 1932. The foundation stone of the barrage was laid on October 1923 by Bombay’s Governor George Lloyd.
Sukkur Barrage has seven off-taking canals, out of which three – Dadu Canal, Rice Canal and North Western Canal (Kirthar) – are situated on the right bank of the Indus River, while four – Khairpur Feeder West, Rohri Canal, Khairpur Feeder East and Nara Canal – are at the left bank.
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