Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Apr 25: A 36-hour shutdown of water supply began today, affecting several areas of Srinagar and Ganderbal, as authorities launched the first phase of renovation of the Sindh Power Canal.
The renovation, officials said, is a Rs 2 crore project aimed at strengthening infrastructure and reducing water loss.
The shutdown, which commenced at 4 am, was imposed to facilitate repair work on the Sindh extension canal.
Officials said the canal had suffered damage last year and is now undergoing restoration, including concrete work and lining.
The project is being executed jointly by the Jal Shakti Department (PHE) Division Ganderbal, the Power Development Corporation (PDC), and the Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Department.
It involves jacketing and plugging of leakages along a 260-metre stretch to improve the canal’s structural integrity, officials said.
They said the shutdown was planned in advance to allow uninterrupted work while minimising inconvenience to the public.
“The repair requires a complete halt in water flow, and the shutdown was scheduled accordingly to ensure efficient execution,” an official said.
Superintending Engineer, Jal Shakti Department, Ambreen, said Rs 2 crore had been allocated for the project and transferred to the PDC for execution.
“We assessed the urgency of the work and initiated it as a joint effort. The canal is critical for drinking water supply, irrigation and power generation,” she said.
Authorities also utilised the shutdown period to carry out desilting operations across the system.
Officials said the PHE undertook desilting at various locations, while the I&FC Department carried out cleaning of the canal and silt was removed from the reservoir.
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