CM, World Bank agree on feasibility study for alternate to Sukkur Barrage

KARACHI: The Sindh Chief Minister, Syed Murad Ali Shah, has asked the World Bank to provide technical assistance for conducting the feasibility study for construction of an alternative barrage in place of 89-year-old Sukkur Barrage.

“This feasibility study component is a part of the World Bank-sponsored Sindh Barrage Improvement Project and we are seriously considering constructing the new barrage as an alternate to the old Sukkur Barrage, which is the lifeline of agro-economy of the province.” He stated this on Friday while presiding over a virtual meeting with World Bank Country Director Najy Binhassine here at the CM House.

Murad Ali Shah said that the Sukkur Barrage was commissioned in 1932 and now it has completed its logical life. He added that the Sukkur Barrage was the lifeline of the province and it was supplying water to seven major canals, including three right bank and four left bank canals. The Sindh Irrigation Minister, Jam Khan Shoro, told the World Bank Country-Director that the provincial government was seriously thinking of constructing an alternative barrage for the Sukkur Barrage for which a feasibility study was required. At this, the CM added that there was a component of conducting feasibility study of Sukkur Barrage in the barrage improvement project.

The Country-Director of the World Bank told the CM that experts of the World Bank would visit the barrage very soon and after the visit and necessary discussions, technical assistance would be provided to the Sindh government for preparation of the PC-1 of the project.

Meanwhile, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) is being launched with the assistance of the World Bank for $1.6 million to improve infrastructure of the water board and introduce reforms.

The Local Government Minister, Nasir Shah, told the meeting that consultants were being hired to study the institutional reforms in the KWSB. The study would be conducted into human resource, feasibility management study, revenue improvement and communication strategy. The consultants would start their study in February 2022.

Under the project, 14 pairs of sewage suction and jetting trucks have been procured and handed over to the KWSB. Another batch of 14 pairs of sewage suction and jetting trucks with 10 combined S&J trucks would b procured next year before monsoon. Minister Local Government Nasir Shah told the meeting that the World Bank has approved TORs for consultancy service for updating of KWSB Master Plan.