Sindh govt committed to building disaster-resilient infrastructure: CM

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday said his government is committed to augmenting the agrarian economy through climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure, which led to the replacement of the Sukkur barrage gates following an incident on June 20.

During a joint meeting Shah presided over with the officials of the irrigation department and the Sindh Peoples Housing for Flood Affectees (SPHF) project at the CM House, he said the ongoing Rs24 billion Sukkur Barrage Gates & Structure Rehabilitation project is a critical initiative for protecting water resources and infrastructure.

Launched in response to the collapse of a gate at the Sukkur Barrage on June 20, the project aims to replace all 66 gates of the historic structure, including the canal gates, he added.

Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed the CM that the project is on track for completion in three years, with major civil works currently in progress.

Shoro said the comprehensive rehabilitation plan includes constructing a large cofferdam. For the first time since the barrage’s construction, the floors, piers and built-in components will undergo inspection and repair, he added.

He said the first phase focuses on replacing 16 gates, starting at the Left Bank Divide Wall. Construction of the stage-1 cofferdam started on September 16, and Irrigation Secretary Zareef Khero personally monitored the replacement of 16 main gates on October 20, he added.

The minister said that a total of 510 sheet piles for the upstream cofferdam have been successfully installed, while work on the downstream sheet piles commenced on November 26, with 16 out of 594 piles already driven. Temporary access for transporting materials and equipment has been completed, along with the delivery of steel sheet piles and geomembrane sandbags to the site, he added.

He said the Rs24 billion Sukkur barrage project would also accommodate enhanced works. The project is scheduled for completion by February 23, 2027, with an additional one-year defect liability period, he added.

SPHF CEO Khalid Shaikh presented updates on housing construction for flood-affected families. He informed the CM that over a million bank accounts have been opened to facilitate direct fund transfers for housing reconstruction.

Shaikh said funds have been disbursed to 810,000 beneficiaries, leading to the completion of 475,000 houses, with 300,000 families already having moved into their new homes.

Shah said the SPHF initiative reflects the provincial government’s broader vision to build disaster-resilient infrastructure and improve living standards for flood-affected communities. He praised the progress, and emphasised the importance of maintaining momentum in both the housing and irrigation projects to ensure timely delivery.

The meeting was also attended by Home Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar, CM’s Special Assistant Jabbar Khan, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, CM’s Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Advocate General Hassan Akbar, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Law Secretary Ali Ahmad Baloch and others.