Taunsa Barrage Emergency Rehabilitation & Modernization Project

Taunsa Barrage Project View of Taunsa Barrage

Project Objectives: The main objectives are to take urgent steps to prevent the failure of the barrage, which provides irrigation supply for two million acres of land, in addition to drinking water to several million farmers in the adjoining rural areas.

Project Cost: The Project was executed by financial assistance of the World Bank (JY 12,108), JICA grant-in-aid (JY 5,294) and Punjab Government share of Rs. 858 million.

Problems:

  • Retrogression of levels on the downstream of barrage and consequential issues

  • Repeated damages to stilling basin appurtenances including rupture of skin concrete and leaking joints of mass concrete.

  • Sedimentation problems in DG Khan canal

  • Repeated subsidence of the backfill of left and right flared out walls on the downstream.

  • Choking of about 80% of pressure pipes and mal-functioning of the remaining20%

  • Operational problems of gates and hoists

Project Components:

  • Construction of a subsidiary weir to raise tail water levels.

  • Grouting of leaking joints and removal of 2 ft. weak concrete from top of existing d/s floor and laying of 3 feet thick new concrete of 4,000 psi strength.

  • Construction of silt excluder and raising of crest of head regulator of D.G Khan canal by 1 ft.

  • Provision of a proper filter and pressure release pipes behind the flared-out walls.

  • Provision of vibrating wire (electronic) piezometers.

  • Rehabilitation & modernization of the gates and hoisting system and automation with central control system.

Status:

The project complete in 2009 to ensure safe and sustained irrigation supplies to 2.24 million acres fertile land located in Muzaffargarh, Dera Ghazi Khan and Rajanpur Districts. Furthermore, barrage is strengthened to safely pass the 100-year return period flood

Page updated on November 04, 2025