SUKKUR/KARACHI: Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro announced that the replacement of 14 gates at Sukkur Barrage is complete, and work on 16 gates will start in the first phase of the project.
According to the details, during a visit to Sukkur Barrage, North-West Canal, and Kirthar Canal in Dadu, the minister said the new gates would reduce the weight by 3,500 tonnes.
He noted that the barrage’s infrastructure and gates were tested with modern equipment. The gate replacement is expected to finish by June.
Shoro emphasized that the work must meet international standards, and the Sindh government will provide all resources needed for timely completion of the projects.
He said the projects’ completion would improve irrigation and benefit Sindh’s agriculture and economy. He instructed contractors to use all their resources to finish the work on time.
In Sukkur, the minister said this project is important for Sindh’s agricultural economy and will strengthen the irrigation system. He directed officials to improve monitoring and quickly resolve any issues in the ongoing work.
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Later, Shoro led a meeting to review progress at Sukkur and Guddu barrages. Discussions focused on rehabilitation work, and officials updated the minister on the projects’ status.
He told officials to ensure the work follows the approved schedule, conduct regular field visits, and personally monitor progress.
The meeting included Irrigation Secretary Zarif Khero, Pritam Das (Project Director, Sindh Barrages Improvement Project), Chief Engineers of Sukkur, Right Bank Canal, contractors, and senior officials.
Earlier, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah questioned the need for more protests in the province after the federal government paused the controversial canals project.
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The government announced it would halt the canals project until an agreement is reached in the Council of Common Interests (CCI), a body that resolves disputes between the federal government and provinces.
However, this decision did not satisfy lawyers and opposition parties in Sindh, who pledged to continue protests and a sit-in at Babarloi bypass in Khairpur, demanding an official notification to cancel the project.
A statement from the Chief Minister’s House said that after the canals project was paused, protesters should stop their actions and clear blocked roads, as these disruptions affect daily life. Shah said peaceful protests are acceptable, but blocking roads or disrupting daily life is not.
