KARACHI: The current capacity of Sukkur is about 800,000 cusecs of water flow, but due to silt accumulation difficulties have persisted for many years.

This was stated by Sindh Minister for Irrigation, Planning and Development Jam Khan Shoro while talking to journalists after a one-day awareness workshop related to a hydraulic study conducted to help resolve issues of Sukkur Barrage.

The Sindh irrigation department organised the workshop here at Boat Basin which was attended by Minister Shoro as chief guest. Project Director Pritam Das and other experts were also present.

The experts gave a detailed briefing on the hydraulic problems of Sukkur Barrage and their possible solutions. On this occasion, Artelia Interna­tional Consultant also presented an important technical details.

Minister Shoro told the newsmen that Sukkur Barrage is the lifeline for the province’s water supply. He explained that nearly a century ago, in 1938, some issues had already emerged in the barrage.

The provincial minister also stated that water testing was conducted in Pune’s laboratory and river flow was observed at Rohriwala Bridge in Bhakkar to obtain accurate information. He said that after a century, it was decided to carry out a complete inspection of the barrage to de­­ter­­­­­­m­­ine its present condition and necessary improvements.

He added that with the cooperation of the World Bank, the Sindh government is working on its development. In this regard, it has been decided to replace 56 of the barrage’s 66 gates. In the first phase, the foundations of 17 gates were cleared, followed by measurements of the river flow. According to the minister, wherever minor issues were found, they were immediately corrected. Next, 27 more gates will be replaced, and in the third year, the remaining 12 gates will be completed, he said.

The irrigation minister said that some gates are completely closed (10 gates), and their opening could improve the barrage’s performance. He warned that if more than 1.2 million cusecs of water comes to the barrage, the flow will be monitored, and if 1.5 million cusecs arrives, the barrage’s strength could be at risk. For this reason, checks and balances will be maintained at every level to ensure the barrage’s safety. An official has also written a letter stating that some parts of the barrage are weak. Wherever any problem arises, workers are present to fix it immediately.

He also said that work is ongoing with the World Bank team regarding the Sukkur Barrage delta, river flow, water distribution and technical requirements. The minister emphasised that this project is among the largest in the world, and significant measures are being taken to strengthen the barrage and ensure timely water supply in the province.

Jam Khan Shoro also stated that under the agreement, 114 million acre-foot of water is being given downstream to Kotri while Sindh is receiving 95 million acre-foot. However, even under the agreement, the water supply remains insufficient.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2025