KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Thursday presided over a meeting to review the third-year progress of the Sukkur Barrage Rehabilitation and Modernisation Project, calling it critical to Sindh’s irrigation security and agricultural economy. The meeting, held at CM House, was attended by Irrigation Minister Jam Khan Shoro and Secretary Irrigation Zarif Khero, focused on major civil, structural and mechanical upgrades, particularly the large-scale replacement of the barrage’s historic gates. Secretary Irrigation Zareef Khero briefed the CM on ongoing inspections and progress at the site, including work on the cofferdam, barrage pavement and allied structural components. The CM was informed that the Year-3 cofferdam (Phases II & III) has successfully enabled heavy construction activities across three major zones of the barrage. Mechanical overhaul gains pace: Reviewing mechanical works, the CM noted substantial progress in gate replacement. Of the 27 new gates planned in the current phase (gates 15 to 43), 25 have been fully fabricated, achieving over 96 per cent completion. Painting and sandblasting for corrosion protection have been completed on 19 gates, while dismantling of old hoisting systems and cutting of existing gates in the targeted sections has also been finalised. Rehabilitation of the Left Bank Canals has reached 100 per cent completion, except for the Nara Canal, which remains under execution. At this, the CM directed the irrigation department to speed up Nara Canal rehabilitation works.