World Bank downgrades ratings of Sindh barrages project

ISLAMABAD: The World Bank has downgraded the implementation and development ratings of Pakistan’s Sindh Barrages Improvement Project, warning that sluggish progress in barrage operations and institutional capacity could undermine the long-term sustainability of major rehabilitation investments despite substantial progress in civil works.

According to the World Bank’s documents, overall progress towards achievement of the project’s development objective and implementation progress have both been revised from “Satisfactory” to “Moderately Satisfactory”, while the overall risk rating remains “Substantial”.

The USD 314.93 million project, aimed at strengthening the Sindh Irrigation Department’s capacity to operate and manage barrages and improving the reliability and safety of Guddu and Sukkur barrages, has achieved an overall disbursement rate of around 82.25 percent.

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

The bank said major rehabilitation works at the Guddu and Sukkur barrages were progressing well and remained on track for completion in the first half of 2027, despite challenges including a cofferdam breach at Sukkur Barrage in March 2026.

However, the Bank cautioned that progress in improving barrage operations and institutional capacity remained slower than expected and required accelerated implementation to fully achieve the project’s development objectives.

“Excellent progress” has been made in restoring and strengthening barrage infrastructure, including the completion of all main gate replacements at Sukkur Barrage and substantial progress at Guddu. Yet the Bank said that slower institutional reforms could pose a challenge to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the investments.

The documents show that rehabilitation and modernisation works at the two barrages reached 84 percent by July 2026, against the ultimate target of 100 percent by June 2028. A total of 125 gates had been replaced, including 25 Guddu canal gates, 56 Guddu main barrage gates, and 44 Sukkur main barrage gates.

The project is designed to increase the flood passage capacity of both Sukkur and Guddu barrages from 900,000 cusecs to 1.2 million cusecs, though the current capacity remains at the baseline level pending completion of rehabilitation works.

The Bank also highlighted weak progress in the operation and maintenance performance scorecard. The average score increased only marginally from 40 in December 2025 to 44 in July 2026, against a target of 90 by June 2028. It particularly cited limited progress on the sediment-testing standard operating procedure.

Further, calibration of canal head regulators has been reinitiated, but progress remains slow, while no performance-based maintenance contract has yet been awarded by the Barrage Management Unit.

The Bank said technical studies for long-term flood and sediment management at Sukkur Barrage had been completed but still needed to be operationalised. The Kotri Barrage Improvement study remains in procurement, while a preliminary assessment for a possible new Sukkur Barrage location has been completed; however, no further progress on its draft terms of reference has been reported.

The project has also established a Barrage Management Unit, but the Bank called for additional strengthening and regular monitoring of its activities. Meanwhile, emergency preparedness plans for three barrages have been prepared, reviewed, and revised, but need to be properly disseminated among barrage and local authorities.

The project is expected to benefit around five million people through climate-resilient infrastructure once the improvement works are completed and better barrage management and emergency preparedness are demonstrated. The project’s revised closing date is June 30, 2028.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026