KARACHI - The World Bank has agreed to finance the much awaited rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage and the provincial government has been asked to submit the PC-I.
This decision was taken in a meeting held between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and World Bank Country Director Mr Patchamuthu Illangovan and his 14-member experts and sector chief delegation on Tuesday.
The chief Minister was assisted by Provincial Ministers for Home Sohail Siyal, Local Government Jam Khan Shoro, Population Welfare Mumtaz Jakharnai, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Pricniapl Secretary to Cm Sohail Rajput, Secretary School Education Iqbal Durani, Secretary Health Fazal Pechuho, Secretary irrigation Jam Shah, Secretary Population Laiq Ahmed and others.
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said that consultants for feasibility study for rehabilitation of Sukkur Barrage was conducted and the draft feasibility was reviewed by experts. Further revision in feasibility Study was made by World Bank Experts, including experts in Dam Design, Sedimentation and Structures. He said that the Consultant’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report was also reviewed by International POE in August 2017, after public hearing for the project’s environmental impacts. The international POE has also submitted Environmental and Social Assessment Report.
The chief minister giving details of assessment findings said that barrage structure had been declared safe and rehabilitation works could extend its life indefinitely. He added that the rehabilitation works for exiting barrage selected for design discharge of 1.3 million cusecs, which would not require any changes in the existing right pocket river training works.
He said that additional studies have been recommended during the implementation stage. They are location study for a new barrage, Sediment Transport Modeling and Monitoring Study, Physical Model Study in UK/Holland for Consultant’s recommendation for changes in right pocket river training works, enabling increase in the barrage flood handling capacity to 1.5 million cusecs. The chief minister said that the rehabilitation works would be implemented over a period of four years.
Repair: Repair work to barrage and canal regulators structure under which RCC Arches of Barrage (200 Nos), Stone Arches of Head Regulators (165 Nos), Stone Piers, Barrage (128 Nos) and Head Regulators (110 Nos), Stone Filling above Arches of Barrage and Head Regulators would be made. There would a complete replacement of Gate Deck Flooring, replacement of Barrage Road Surface and Storm water drainage. It also includes rising of height for existing Left Pocket divide walls.
Dredging: Dredging and canal de-silting would be made on the eft & right pockets, approach and tail channels, approach to left pocket, channel at downstream of Right Pocket and de-silting of Dadu, Rice and NW Canals.
Replenishment: Replenishment of Scour Protection Works Foundation Inspection and repairs of building works include the works of Central Control & Monitoring Office and Workshops, a Mosque and officer’s residence and Rest House.
Monitoring: Monitoring and Control Instrument would have automatic water level recorders, vibrating wire piezometers, reactivation of existing water level observation wells, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) for Bathymetric Survey, Permanent Discharge Measurement Station using Horizontal Acoustic Doppler Profiler (H-ADCP), at Bukkur Gorge (two numbers) and CCTV and Telecommunication.
Mechanical Works and Procurement: Murad Ali Shah said that this component includes repair and epoxy coating in all gates, increasing gate height by 2ft, replacing existing temporary wooden planks, increasing of freeboard for fully opened condition by changes in gate hoisting to work without counterweights, installation of required gate lifting motors for each gate, replacing the existing system of four trolley mounted motors for operation of all the gates, replacement of all moving components and seals, fabrication of Pontoon Mounted Caisson Gates and procurement of Dredger, Tug Boat, Motor Boats and Lunch. The chief minister said that as per recommendation in the feasibility report complete replacement of all electrical works such as switchboards and Local Control Panels with Cabling, dedicated feeding from WAPDA Grid Station, 11 Kv transformer and Main Controls Switchboard and Standby Generators.
Giving details of the project cost, the chief minister said that it would come around Rs16.256 billion. The details are repair works to structure would cost around Rs 1,061.4 million, dredging and canal de-silting Rs3,708m. Replenishment of Scour Protection Works Rs 571.5 million, Foundation Inspection and Repairs Rs1,967.6 million, Building Works Rs356.3 million, Monitoring and Control Instrumentation Rs238.2 million, Gates & Mechanical Works and Procurement Rs3,335.5 million, Electrical Works Rs634.2 million, Project’s Insurance, Client & Engineers Facilities Rs524.9 million, Additional Studies Rs682 million, Project Management and Supervision Rs1,064.1 and Physical Contingencies and Price Escalation Rs2,121.6 million.
The World Bank Country director urged the chief minister to ask his team to submit PC-I of the project so that it could be formally approved. The Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem and Secretary Irrigation Jamal Shah said that the PC-I of the project was at final stage to be submitted within 15 days.