Pakistan’s largest irrigation network, the Sukkur Barrage, will be shut from January 6 to January 20 for its routine annual maintenance and cleaning work. During this period, water supply through all seven off-taking canals will remain suspended as the barrage gates are opened for repairs and repainting.
Under the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro said that 27 barrage gates are scheduled to be replaced this year. The project also covers geophysical surveys of the barrage floor, dredging work upstream, and the construction of a coffer dam between Gates 15 and 22.
“The rehabilitation work will extend the barrage’s lifespan by about 30 years,” said Minister Shoro. He added that work on replacing 19 gates will begin this month, following the replacement of 16 gates completed last year.
Over the next few years, a total of 55 gates linked to the barrage and its canals will be upgraded.
Built in 1932 and inaugurated by British Viceroy Lord Wellington, the Sukkur Barrage plays a vital role in Sindh’s agriculture, supporting nearly 80 percent of the province’s farming needs.
Its seven off-taking canals include the Dadu Canal, Rice Canal, and North Western Canal (Kirthar) on the right bank, along with Khairpur Feeder West, Rohri Canal, Khairpur Feeder East, and Nara Canal on the left bank of the Indus River.