SUKKUR, March 26: President Gen Pervez Musharraf was informed on Saturday that rehabilitation work of the Sukkur Barrage would be completed by April 30. “Almost all related works have been completed ahead of schedule and moreover a saving of Rs130 million has also been made in the Rs887 million estimated cost,” Army Engineering Corps’ Maj-Gen Asif Ahmed informed the president at a briefing in the control room of Sukkur Barrage. Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Pakistan Army Engineer-in-Chief Lt-Gen Mohammad Zubair, Chief Secretary Mohammad Aslam Sanjrani and Irrigation Minister Nadir Akmal Leghari also attended the briefing. Welcoming the president, the irrigation minister paid him rich tributes for handing over Sukkur Barrage’s rehabilitation task to army engineers and Frontier Works Organization (FWO). Maj-Gen Asif Ahmed said that the task was accepted by army engineers and the FWO as a challenge and were hopeful that it would be completed by April 30.

He gave details of laying hollow plate bridge to link the right bank with the barrage island on Nov 26, last, which was the first day of their work, after which the entire force went on in a herculean manner for undertaking, repairing, de-mucking, de-watering, concreting and dredging. Sixty tube-wells were installed to pump out water from the damaged area of Bay-1 and Bay-2 of the right bank of the barrage, and also to create two cofferdams on the upstream and downstream area of the barrage.

Gen Ahmed said that the main purpose of raising cofferdams was to carry out detailed analysis of the damage which was caused by a pit, discovered in January 2004. Huge stocks of sand, cement, stone and sheet piles were laid in that area, which had secured the basement of Bay-1 and Bay-2 along the Dadu canal gages, he said.

He said that the consultant had also been asked to prepare a long-term strategy to further strengthen the barrage’s structure, which is likely to be completed by November, this year.

He said that army engineers and the FWO had achieved the first and foremost target, that was by fulfilling the damage caused to the Bay-1 and Bay-2, besides undertaking the repair of Ruk regulator near Garhi Yasin for which a link channel was provided from Rice canal for providing water in the Dadu canal area.

On this occasion, Gen Zubair said that 450 tons of sheet piles were imported from Belgium on urgent basis and the old sheet piles had been replaced to strengthen the basement area of Bay-1 and Bay-2.

President Musharraf remarked that the FWO and the army engineers had done a commendable job, not only by securing the barrage but also making a good saving of Rs130 million.

The Sindh chief minister informed the president about a proposal for raising a 5th span at Dadu canal, which would be feasible for providing additional water to the growers falling in the jurisdiction of Dadu canal.

The president said that he was ready to see it or any other proposal from the Sindh government for taking decision in this regard, as they would be aimed to streamline the irrigation system of the Sukkur Barrage.

Earlier, on arrival at the helipad near the circuit house, President Musharraf was welcomed by the governor, chief minister, chief secretary and other civil and military officials.—APP