The restoration work of the Malshahibagh canal in Ganderbal would be completed by March, officials said Wednesday.
Talking to Greater Kashmir, Superintending Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control (I&FC) Naseer Ahmed Kakroo told Greater Kashmir that the restoration work was going on and would be completed by March.
He said that the “fabrication” and “launching” of the bridge had been completed and the “covering work” was incomplete for which the material was being brought from Jammu within next few days.
He said that restoration work on the canal got delayed due to COVID19 pandemic.
Kakroo along with a team of officials visited the “breach spot” and took stock of the ongoing restoration work.
He was accompanied by former MLA Ganderbal Sheikh IshfaqJabbar, DDC Ganderbal Vice Chairman Bilal Ahmad and Executive Engineer Irrigation and Flood Control Ganderbal Muhammad Aslam.
Jabbar said that the non-restoration of the canal had left people suffer as the canal was unable to feed regular potable water to several areas of Srinagar and Ganderbal besides affecting irrigation facilities.
He urged the concerned officials to complete the work for the convenience of the people.
A major breach occurred in Malshahi bagh canal in Ganderbal on December 2, 2019.
The breach had affected the water supply and irrigation facilities to dozens of areas.
A major breach in the Malshahi bagh water canal, the main source of water to various areas of Srinagar and Ganderbal including Rangil, Alesteng, Hadoora, Shuhama and Bakoora water supply schemes, occurred on December 2, 2019.
The non-restoration of the canal has left people to suffer as the canal is unable to feed regular potable water to several areas of Srinagar and Ganderbal.
It caters to ElahiBagh, GulabBagh, Zakura, Soura, Anchar, Nowshera, Lal Bazaar, Alasteng, Shuhama, Habak, Hazratbal and other areas of the old city.
Locals said that the authorities had assured that the canal would be restored on a war-footing basis but a year later, the authorities had not restored or repaired the canal.