BAHAWALPUR: The irrigation department has raised serious concerns about the condition of the left guide bund of the railways’ Empress Bridge and has urged Pakistan Railways to immediately take action.

In a letter to the divisional engineer in Multan, the executive engineer (EXEN) of the Bahawalpur canal division, on Sept 1, called for the immediate stocking of more stone to strengthen the bund.

The letter points out that a medium-level flood is already passing through the Empress Bridge, and the gauge at Ganda Singwala indicates that an exceptionally high flood is expected to pass through the bridge soon. While the bridge has a capacity of 350,000 cusecs, the current reserve of stone is dangerously low, well below the required 150,000 cubic feet.

The irrigation department’s engineer has asked the railways to act swiftly to add the necessary quantity of stone to prevent any potential breach. The issue had been previously discussed with a railway assistant engineer in Lodhran.

When contacted, Pakistan Railways’ Multan Division PRO Rao Tasleem said he would check with officials and respond, but a reply was still awaited till the filing of this report.

The water level at the Empress Bridge has already risen from 9.30 feet to 10.4 feet, signaling a further increase within the next two days.

Meanwhile, a private (made by the locals) dyke in mauza Bhinda in Bahawalpur district has breached, inundating large residential and agricultural areas in the tehsil. The floodwaters have also affected vast rural areas in tehsil Khairpur Tamewal.

Local authorities, including Commissioner Musarrat Jabean and DC Dr. Farhan Farooq, have overseen the evacuation of the affected population to safer places and government relief camps. Officials distributed meals to people and fodder to cattle owners.

The Bahawalpur Waste Management Company (BWMC) has assigned 132 sanitary workers to ensure cleanliness and sanitation in the 29 flood relief camps. Irrigation officials are maintaining a constant vigil on the flood situation at Panjnad Headworks, where a flood peak is expected to pass between Sept 5 and 6. High-ranking officials expressed hope that the floodwaters, which have already spread out at the Sulemanki and Islam headworks, will pass beneath the Panjnad Headworks without the need to breach the right marginal bund (RMB) towards Muzaffargarh. They anticipate the flood quantity will be between 500,000 and 600,000 cusecs.

In a separate development, Senate Chairman Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani, speaking to the media in Multan, appealed to residents to evacuate their homes near the Muhammad wala dyke.

He expressed concern that people were refusing to leave the area despite the flood threat from the Chenab.

Gilani said Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz was also informed about the public’s reluctance during her visit to Multan. He called on people and PPP workers to help those in distress by providing them with meals and other essentials.

Published in Dawn, September 4th, 2025