Pakistan’s largest irrigation system, the Sukkur Barrage, will remain closed from January 6 to 20 for annual renovation and cleaning. All seven off-taking canals will halt water flow as authorities open the barrage gates for repairs and painting.
Under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project (SBIP), Sindh’s Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro confirmed that 27 gates will be replaced this year.
The project also includes geophysical investigations of the barrage floor, dredging upstream, and construction of a Coffer Dam from Gate 15 to 22.
“The rehabilitation work will extend the barrage’s lifespan by about 30 years,” said Minister Shoro. He added that replacement of 19 gates will start this month, following last year’s replacement of 16 gates.
In total, 55 gates of the barrage and its off-taking canals will be upgraded in the coming years.
The Sukkur Barrage, inaugurated in 1932 by British Viceroy Lord Wellington, supports 80% of Sindh’s agriculture.
Its seven off-taking canals include Dadu Canal, Rice Canal, North Western Canal (Kirthar) on the right bank, and Khairpur Feeder West, Rohri Canal, Khairpur Feeder East, and Nara Canal on the left bank of the Indus River.
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