Amritsar (Suraj Kamlesh): Punjab Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal today reviewed ongoing flood protection and irrigation projects along the Ravi River Flood Safety Works in Amritsar district. He visited BOP Tota on the dhussi bundh and inspected safety arrangements being carried out by the department.
Senior officials including Chief Engineer Sher Singh, Superintending Engineer Jagdish Raj, SE Gurbindar Singh Sidhu, and Executive Engineer Vishwapal Goyal accompanied the minister during the visit.
Flood Protection Work at BOP Tota
The minister reviewed flood safety measures at BOP Tota, where significant damage occurred during last year’s floods. The Water Resources Department is now carrying out protection works worth ₹5.5 crore to strengthen the embankment and reduce future risk.
Officials informed that repair and reinforcement work is progressing to ensure better safety during the upcoming monsoon season.
Inspection of Jhabal Canal Project
After the embankment visit, the minister inspected the relining project of the Jhabal Canal near Chabba village in Amritsar.
The state government is upgrading this canal at a cost of ₹18 crore. Officials said the project will significantly improve water flow and irrigation capacity in the region.
Originally, the canal carried around 150 cusecs of water. After strengthening and relining, it will now be able to carry up to 258 cusecs, ensuring better water delivery to tail-end areas.
Expansion of Irrigation Coverage
The minister stated that the Jhabal Canal has a total length of 27 km. Its width is being increased to 24 feet.
Earlier, the canal supported irrigation for around 5,000 acres of farmland. After completion, it will serve nearly 31,000 acres.
He added that improved water supply will also help recharge groundwater levels in the region.
Focus on Groundwater Conservation
Barinder Goyal credited Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann for strengthening irrigation systems in Punjab.
He said the state has significantly improved water usage efficiency. Punjab now utilizes nearly 82% of available canal water for irrigation, compared to only 26% earlier.
According to him, this improvement will help reduce dependency on groundwater and support long-term sustainability.
Flood Preparedness Ahead of Monsoon
The minister said the Punjab government is actively working to minimize damage from floods and heavy rainfall during the upcoming monsoon season.
The state has allocated around ₹600 crore for flood protection works across Punjab. After last year’s floods, the department identified 135 vulnerable locations across four rivers and assigned special monitoring teams.
Ravi River Flood Safety works have already been completed, while the remaining projects will be finished by 30 June 2026.
River Strengthening and Desilting Work
Officials informed that last year’s floods damaged the Ravi river dhussi bundh at 23 locations. Repair and strengthening work is currently underway at all these points.
Desilting work in the river is also being carried out on a large scale and will be completed before the monsoon.
Ravi River Flood Safety Works Cleaning of Shakki drain and other seasonal drains is also in progress to improve water flow and reduce flood risk.
Modern Technology for Flood Control
The minister also announced that Punjab will procure advanced amphibious machines from Finland. These machines can operate both in water and on land.
He said these machines will help in deep cleaning of canals and rivers even in flowing water conditions.
According to him, this modern equipment will strengthen both preventive and emergency flood response systems in the state.
5 Key Points of the Ravi River Flood Safety Works:
- Water Resources Minister Barinder Goyal inspected Ravi river embankment works in Amritsar.
- Authorities reviewed flood protection works at BOP Tota and nearby areas.
- Jhabal canal lining project is being upgraded to improve water flow and irrigation.
- Punjab government is strengthening flood safety infrastructure ahead of monsoon.
- Modern amphibious machines will be used for drainage and flood control operations.
