PESHAWAR: The federal government will spend Rs4.1 billion to widen two major canal systems of Peshawar for enhancing water flow to irrigate barren land measuring thousands of acres, it is learned.

According to the relevant officials, work on the ‘Remodeling of Warsak Gravity Canal and Warsak Lift Canal Systems’ will begin shortly.

Built in 1960, the two canals currently don’t irrigate the designated areas at the tail end, leaving thousands of acres of land barren.

The officials said once the canals were remolded, their water flow capacity would go up from the current 500 cusecs to 810 cusecs.

They said the project would also ensure provision of 300 cusecs water to Peshawar city and Hayatabad Township for drinking purposes.

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in 2009 and at that time, its estimated cost was Rs4.1 billion.

According to the officials, delay in the release of funds by the federal government along with consultancy stopped the start of work on it.

They said the project’s cost had escalated from Rs7 billion to Rs8 billion due to increase in prices of construction material over the last five years.

The officials said to enhance water supply from Warsak Dam, an additional five kilometres tunnel alongside the already functional tunnel would be built in the mountains in Khyber Agency.

At the time of the two canals’ construction 53 years ago, the area to be provided with water measured 100,500 acres.

However, currently, two-thirds of the said area is receiving water leaving the rest barren.

The project management unit (PMU) is already in place for the canal remodeling, a condition of the federal government for release of funds. And the project director and other staff have also been appointed to the PMU.

The officials said the expansion of canals would take three years to complete.

They said the two canals would be made wider from both sides.

According to them, all bridges on the canals will be reconstructed after the canal widening.

They said during the remodeling of the canals, farmers would not suffer as water to their crops will be provided on time.

The officials said work to widen canals would be carried out during their annual closure for de-silting.

Canals are closed for 45-60 days every year for the purpose.

The officials said the poor law and order situation in Peshawar and Khyber Agency, removal of encroachments from both sides of the canals and slow funding by the federal government could be the major problems to be faced by PMU during the execution of the project.

A vast area on both sides of the canals, especially the thickly-populated part, has been encroached.