ISLAMABAD: The Asian Development Bank has agreed to provide a $270 million loan for rehabilitation and upgradation of the Suleimanki barrage in Punjab.

Official sources told Dawn on Wednesday that the ADB had already carried out an evaluation study of the project which aims to modernise the water management system of the barrage.

Officials expect the bank's board will approve the project at its meeting in November. A report on the proposed project says that ever since its construction, the structure of Suleimanki barrage has suffered heavily because of flooding during the monsoon periods. The aging process of almost 84 years old barrage has contributed to general deterioration of its different components.

The Irrigation and Power Department of Punjab has recommended that rehabilitation of the barrage be undertaken to ensure safe operation of the barrage.

Various studies conducted on the barrage have envisaged structural and hydrological problems in it together with mechanical defects. A report says that if these flaws are not removed, the consequences can be devastating with the consequent risk of the failure of the entire system.