Faulty repairs raise flood fears at Sukkur Barrage

Engineer's letter reveals use of 'substandard material'

KARACHI:

Concerns have emerged over the alleged use of substandard material in the ongoing repair and upgradation of Sukkur Barrage, a critical flood control infrastructure on the Indus River. As forecasts predict a major flood wave entering Sindh this week, there are growing fears that the barrage might not withstand the impending pressure.

According to sources, a confidential letter written by the Superintending Engineer of Sukkur Barrage to the Project Director has exposed disturbing details regarding the quality of the work. The letter states that even with a moderate flow of 300,000 cusecs, vibrations were observed in the gates of the barrage, raising alarms about their structural integrity.

The letter further reports that the hydraulic systems and gearboxes are malfunctioning, while nuts, bolts, and gate-operating wells have already begun to rust within just one month. The gates also reportedly vary in weight, affecting their performance and stability. The contractor responsible for replacing twenty-eight gates this year has already faced technical faults in sixteen of them.

This development comes as a large flood wave from Punjab is expected to enter Sindh in the coming days, putting immense pressure on the barrage, which is already showing signs of vulnerability.

Sources have alleged widespread irregularities in the awarding of repair and rehabilitation contracts. Several mega projects related to river embankments and flood protection are said to have been handed over to favoured contractors. These include the Revival of Doors and Underpasses project, with a reported expenditure of ten billion rupees, and the Rehabilitation of Left Bank Outfall Drain (LBOD), which cost six billion rupees. Major lining projects such as those for Adeero Lal and Nari Chach Lower have also reportedly been awarded to a contractor known as Pappu Channa. Contracts for other large-scale schemes are also said to have gone to the same contractor.

Sources further claim that for the past one and a half years, a small group of officials within the Irrigation Department has been running the system with little oversight.

When contacted, Sindh Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro and the Project Director of the Sindh Barrages Improvement Project, Pritam Das, confirmed that the gates of Sukkur Barrage are still in the custody of the foreign company responsible for their installation.