Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh has replaced gates at several major barrages, dams and head regulators over the past nine and a half years to improve irrigation infrastructure, strengthen flood management and enhance emergency preparedness, officials of the irrigation and water resources department said.Principal secretary Anil Garg said ageing and damaged gates at key water structures were replaced in phases to ensure uninterrupted operations during irrigation and flood seasons. He said all 10 gates at Gomti Barrage in Lucknow have been replaced.At Chukka head regulator in Pilibhit, all four gates have been renewed. In Etah, 20 gates at Tatarpur Lower Ganga Canal, Parallel Lower Ganga Canal connecting regulator and head regulator have also been replaced.Work is continuing at Narora Barrage in Bulandshahr, where 13 of 61 gates have been replaced and construction of the remaining 48 is underway, officials said. They added that replacement work has been carried out at Okhla, Bhimgoda, Hindon and Caneri barrages. Spare gates have also been fabricated for several major structures to enable quicker responses during emergencies.The department highlighted underwater replacement of under-sluice gates at Matatila Dam, Meja Jargo Link Regulator and Kachnoda Dam at depths of around 60 to 70 feet as a significant engineering achievement using specialist divers and modern techniques.Chief engineer (mechanical) Upendra Singh said spare gates were prepared for critical barrages and dams, including Ghaghra, Sharda and Kho, to minimise disruptions from mechanical failures. Officials said leakage at Chandraprabha Dam in Chandauli is being addressed to reduce water loss and improve irrigation supplies.
