KARACHI: The Singh government will carried out rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage with an estimated cost of Rs25 billion
Sindh Irrigation Secretary Zaheer Hyder Shah, in a meeting at CM House, has revealed that the cost of construction of a new barrage will be around Rs100 billion. He said that since the barrage was constructed in 1932 sedimentation problems had plagued it. The permanent closure of 10 gates formed an island and a submerged weir, which has reduced the flood capacity of the barrage from 1.5 million to 900,000 cusecs.
The secretary said that all the gates were replaced between 1986 and 1992 and emergency repairs were carried out in 2004 when a large scour hole developed in its right pocket.
He said that all the gates of the barrage are in good condition, except the five, which need to be replaced. Its pond level and freeboard below the gates also need to be increased. This would help open the gates to their maximum level.
The secretary said that the flood of 2010 passed with freeboard margin of just about two feet when the gates were opened completely. During high floods only 27 of the 66 barrage gates remained active, causing risky flow concentration in the central left part of the barrage.
