Kachhi Canal To Be Commissioned By August

ISLAMABAD, (Muzaffargarh.City – 15th Aug, 2017 ) : The construction of much delayed Kachhi Canal Project has almost been completed and it will be formal commissioned by end of this month.

Official sources told APP here, currently the main canal and its structures was being tested by filling of water. The project would be commissioned with release of water into the distribution system for irrigating 72,000 acres of virgin land in Dera Bugti (Balochistan).

Kachhi Canal Project is being completed with a cost of about Rs 80 billion. The 363-Kilometer long main canal (out of which 351-Kilometer is lined canal) takes off from Taunsa Barrage in Muzaffargarh (Punjab) and ends at Dera Bugti district in Balochistan province.

Discharge capacity of the main canal is 6,000 cusecs.

As many as 914 structures have been constructed at or over the main canal including head and cross regulators, road and railways bridges, cross drainage and escape structures and watercourse crossings etc.

Kachhi Canal, started 15 years ago, was almost an abandoned project owing to certain reasons, gross cost overrun and long delays being the major contributing factors. However, the project was revitalized due to active support of the incumbent Federal government and commitment of WAPDA team.

It is heartening to note that the project was finally going to see light of the day after a long period of 15 years. It is worth mentioning that Kachhi Canal project is of immense importance for development of water infrastructure and irrigated agriculture in Balochistan.