CM inaugurates ‘Sukkur Barrage Rehabilitation, Upgradation Project’

SUKKUR: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday inaugurated the Sukkur Barrage Rehabilitation and Upgradation Project, calling it a milestone for the province’s water security and agricultural future. Provincial Ministers Nasir Hussain Shah and Jam Khan Shoro, Sindh Assembly Speaker Owais Qadir Shah and other officials attended the ceremony.

“Sukkur Barrage is the guarantee of Sindh’s agricultural future and is directly linked to Pakistan’s food security,” the chief minister said. The Indus irrigation network is vital for the national economy, food security and flood protection. Sindh’s historic water project is moving forward successfully.

He added that modernizing Sukkur Barrage is a milestone for Sindh’s water conservation and agricultural future. The Rs. 23.43 billion project will secure the livelihood of millions of farming families. The upgraded barrage will better tackle flood risks and strengthen the irrigation system, he said.

For the first time in almost 100 years, the barrage floor and key infrastructure have undergone comprehensive rehabilitation, CM Murad Shah noted. All 44 gates of Sukkur Barrage have been replaced with a state-of-the-art system, improving water conveyance and monitoring, he said and added that we had a target to replace 32 gates, but 44 gates were replaced - this proves the Sindh government’s seriousness.

The chief minister emphasized that the livelihood of over 600,000 farming families and Pakistan’s food security depend on Sukkur Barrage. The modernized barrage will serve Sindh’s agriculture for many decades to come. Rehabilitation will improve flood discharge capacity, operational efficiency and irrigation management, he said.