HYDERABAD: The consultant firms — Nespak and ACE — working for the implementation of the modernisation plan for Akram Wah (a major canal), have advised some fundamental changes in the project. Differing with previous consultants’ expert opinion, they have recommended lining of the canal, instead of retaining its wall.

The consultants have submitted their review report on feasibility study of Akram Wah with the Sindh Irrigation and Drainage Authority (Sida), which has administrative control of the canal. The feasibility report of the project was first prepared by different consultants under the Water Sector Improvement Project (WSIP). The review report is now being discussed by Sida, irrigation department and World Bank.

One such discussion was held recently at a meeting chaired by Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro. It was attended by WB team’s technical delegation. A full mission of WB is due in Sindh in April’s last week and it would also discuss the review report with the stakeholders.

The previous consultants had suggested retaining construction of the canal’s wall till RD-36 and earthen channel post-RD-36 length.

A major irrigation channel

Akram Wah is perhaps the only channel in Sindh, a considerable length of which was lined in 50s. It emanates from the left side of Kotri Barrage. The channel supplies water to lower Sindh districts of Tando Mohammad Khan, Badin and parts of Hyderabad rural area with a cultivable command area of 0.49m acres and gross command area of 0.59m acres. A considerable stretch passes through Hyderabad city as well.

The estimated cost of the canal’s lining project is Rs18.5bn.

The cost factor

“Expenses of Rs8.5bn will be made on retaining wall construction from RD-0 to RD-36. It means almost 40pc of project’s cost will be utilised for raising the retaining wall alone. Besides, another Rs3bn will be needed for building roads in the very RDs (RD-0 to RD-36) as the canal passes through the [Hyderabad] city’s limits and this expenditure will take the total cost to roughly Rs21.5bn,” said Irrigation Secretary Zarif Khero.

Damaged in 1956 floods

Record shows Akram Wah was operationalised in 1951 and was badly damaged in the 1956 floods. Kotri Barrage had passed 981,000 cusecs. The canal was repaired for Rs0.6m and it started feeding perennial supplies to the Gaja area in 1957. It became operational again around 1958 after construction of Kotri Barrage. The channel was partly lined and partly earthen when it was built.

But it had a chronic issue as it did not achieve its designed discharge of 4,300 cusecs which was increased from 3,714 in 1960 at its head for decades.

“We are going through the review report and a final decision will be taken after due consultation with Sida, irrigation department and WB officials,” Jam Khan Shoro told Dawn. He said experts were discussing all proposals including those from implementation consultants that retaining wall should be dropped and canal should be lined up to RD-190, where Matli area of Badin district begins. He said apparently after 70 years, the idea of canal reverting back to earthen structure, at a time when demands of lining of canals in Sindh’s irrigation network are growing, did not look logical.

The recent consultation was also attended by the Hyderabad mayor because the irrigation minister wanted to apprise him of road cutting issue in the light of previous feasibility study report. Roads would have been cut and rebuilt which would obviously lead to traffic gridlock issues until canal works in the city’s area are completed.

Zarif Khero’s view is that in previous consultants’ proposal cost of road construction and use of special-graded soil behind retaining wall which is around Rs3bn was not included while suggesting construction of retaining wall up to RD-36. This Rs3bn expense would take overall cost from Rs18.5bn to Rs21.5bn but canal would remain unlined. “If new proposal in review report of consultants for lining the canal up to RD-190 is given effect, instead of retaining wall, the cost of Rs21.5bn will be same,” he remarked.

Major change in project design

According to Sida Managing Director Pritam Das, present consultants Nespak and ACE have reviewed the report which carried several options and an alternative proposal. “As per alternative proposal, implementation consultants have suggested a major change in canal’s design – lining the canal till RD-190 instead of building retaining wall from RD-0 to RD-36. Deliberations are under way and the minister is on board as well. We will share our input with WB’s full mission whose visit is scheduled for April’s last week,” he told Dawn while answering a question. As per the previous feasibility report, he said, post-RD-36 remaining length may be lined while present consultants have suggested lining coupled with some precautions that were missed when the canal was first built.

Published in Dawn, April 24th, 2024