Sukkur Barrage to close for cleaning, renovation from tonight

SUKKUR: Sukkur Barrage, Pakistan’s largest irrigation system, will be closed from midnight today for renovation and cleaning, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to a statement, the Control Room of Sukkur Barrage has announced that all seven off-taking canals of the barrage will remain closed from January 06 to 20 for 15 days.

The gates and spillways of the barrage will be opened from the midnight at 12:00, the barrage administration said.

The canals will be closed and gates of the barrage will be opened for annual cleaning and renovation of the structure, the control room said.

The decrease in the river water will create water shortage in Sukkur, the major city in upper Sindh on the bank of Indus river.

Concerned civic agencies have been informed about annual closure of the water from canals, the statement of the barrage authority said. The city authorities have been advised to arrange alternate drinking water supply for Sukkur.

It is pertinent to mention here that Sukkur Barrage have 66 gates in its structure. The waterworks has completed its 87 years since its inauguration on January 13 in year 1932 by British Viceroy of India Lord Wellington. The foundation stone of the barrage was laid on October 1923 by Bombay’s Governor George Lloyd.

Sukkur is already facing water supply woes and ARY News had in an earlier report highlighted the supply of dirty and toxic water to the city for human consumption.

Sukkur Barrage has seven off-taking canals, out of which three – Dadu Canal, Rice Canal and North Western Canal (Kirthar) – are situated on right bank, and four – Khairpur Feeder West, Rohri Canal, Khairpur Feeder East and Nara Canal – are at the left bank of the Indus.