HYDERABAD: The breach that occurred on the cofferdam of Sukkur Barrage’s gates on Thursday night was plugged on Monday evening. The raising and strengthening work of the dyke has been undertaken, according to officials.

Project Director of the Sindh Barrages Improvement Programme (SBIP) Noorul Arfeen said: “The breach was plugged at 5.30pm in front of bay 46 of the barrage. Now the process of its strengthening and raising is underway”.

Work on downstream plugging the breaches in front of bays 18 to 26 and bay 33 was underway as well. The engineers don’t have access to bay 33. Once breaches opposite bays 18 to 26 were plugged then access to location of bay-33 would become easier. A stretch of around 550ft between bay 18 to 26 was to be plugged and reports indicate that about 50pc of this breach has been plugged.

Around 16 small tractor trolleys were working there, according to the official. The breaches occurred in cofferdam of the barrage on March 4. Plugging work began soon afterwards which was completed at least at gate No. 46 now. Bags filled with earthen soil were being used to close the breach at gate 47 as well. Gate 47 was washed away in June 2024 in a major mishap at the barrage.

The breaches in cofferdam had affected water regulations for major canals like Nara and Rohri besides two others that feed the entire lower Sindh region.

Published in Dawn, March 10th, 2026