Construction of first canal - Malwa Canal to irrigate Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot to begin soon - Punjabi News

Published on: 22 Dec 2025 at 02:38 PM

Construction of first canal — Malwa Canal to irrigate Muktsar, Ferozepur and Faridkot to begin soon

Published by: Fact News

Fact News Service

Chandigarh, December 22: The construction of the Malwa canal headworks is set to begin early next year at Harike, near the confluence of the Sutlej and Beas rivers, with the tendering process for the Rs 27-crore project now in its final stages. Officials said the tenders have already been opened and are currently being evaluated, and the actual construction work is expected to commence within the next month. Significantly, this will be the first new canal to be constructed in the state after Independence.

Sources in the Water Resources Department said the headworks will include three head regulator gates adjoining the Rajasthan Feeder canal at Harike. These gates will play a crucial role in regulating the flow of water into the proposed Malwa canal. “Tenders have been opened and are being evaluated. The construction work is expected to begin in a month,” a senior official of the department said.

Alongside the tendering process, land acquisition collectors are holding public hearings to address objections raised by residents and landowners settled along the proposed alignment of the canal. Officials said the objection-hearing process is in its final phase and is expected to conclude within the next couple of days. “While the hearings are being wrapped up, the tendering process for the headworks is moving ahead simultaneously,” an executive engineer said.

The state government initiated the land acquisition process in September this year for the ambitious canal project, which aims to bring irrigation benefits to around 2 lakh acres of agricultural land. The canal will pass through parts of Ferozepur, Faridkot and Muktsar districts, areas that have long faced issues related to groundwater depletion and uneven irrigation coverage.

To speed up technical preparations, the Water Resources Department has already deployed additional staff in the region. An executive engineer has been posted in Ferozepur, while two sub-divisional engineers have been stationed at Ferozepur and Gidderbaha. In addition, two junior engineers and other supporting officials have also been assigned duties at these locations to ensure smooth execution of the project.

The overall Malwa canal project is estimated to cost around Rs 2,300 crore. The proposed canal will be 149 km long, 50 feet wide and 12.5 feet deep. It will have nearly 500 outlets and a water-carrying capacity of 2,000 cusecs. Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann reviewed the progress of the project during a visit to Doda village in Muktsar district last year.

While some farmers have raised concerns that the canal could worsen waterlogging in certain areas, officials have assured that modern construction technology will be used to prevent seepage and related problems. The government maintains that the project will provide long-term irrigation benefits and boost agricultural productivity in the Malwa region.