Rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage: flood managing capacity to improve by 1.5 million cusecs

Rehabilitation and Modernization of Sukkur Barrage under Sindh Barrages Improvement Project Phase-II will improve the flood handling capacity of the barrage from 0.9 million cusecs to 1.5 million cusecs as well as supplying 65,130 million cusecs water for irrigation in the province.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) of the project show that this project would ensure efficient barrage operation and safety of structure against extreme floods, working paper of project indicates.
Project cost stands at Rs 17.90 billion with a local component of Rs 3.581 billion and Rs 14.327 billion of foreign exchange component, which is eighty percent of cost. The federal government's share in local component stands at 10 percent with the total contribution of Rs 1.790 billion with Sindh government also contributing ten percent.
The details of project, which is awaiting approval of ECNEC after passage from CDWP showed that barrage has undergone major repairs and rehabilitation in the past but not much has been done for controlling of these two issues of sedimentation and reduction in floods handling capacity.
The feasibility study of the project showed that barrage structure is still strong but need rehabilitation/repair works due to absence of routine maintenance in last decade. The existing electrical works in the barrage are outdated and needs immediate replacement. The upgrade in mechanical works is also found to be necessary with replacement of all moving parts, installation of gate lifting motors with every gate and application of corrosion protection coating in gates.
Technical appraisal of the project traced back the history of Sukkur barrage and the project for its rehabilitation. It states that "Sukkur Barrage Gates Rehabilitation Project" costing Rs 482 million was first approved in 1986, however the project was not completed in approved cost and timeframe due to inclusion of some additional activities necessary for safety of barrage.
PC-1 was revised by increasing the cost of the project to Rs 611 million. The project was not completed again at the revised cost and it was again revised to Rs 797 million, however Planning Commission didn't receive any report about its completion. In 2006, a project of similar nature with a total cost of Rs 887 million was executed on emergency basis and in 2009 a project was launched for its rehabilitation. The current project, which is pending before ECNEC for approval was conceived after securing assurance from the foreign institutions to finance it.
The benefit cost ratio of the project has been calculated at 3.01 with the forecast that province can face 2 percent decrease in agriculture output up to next ten years, if Sukkur project was not rehabilitated and improved in time.