Canal Administration

Canal Infrastructure built in the pre-independence (Pre- 1947) period

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In pre independence period, the utilization of water for irrigation was developed on run off the river basis . Ropar Head works was constructed in the year 1874-82 for utilizing water of river Sutlej in the old Sirhind Canal system.

Upper Bari Doab Canal (UBDC), one of the oldest canals in India was first built by Emperor Shah Jehan in the year 1693, for carrying water of River Ravi from Madhopur to Lahore. Improvements in the canals were made by Maharaja Ranjit Singh in the 19th century. A weir type headworks with a properly designed distributary system was constructed by the British in 1879. At the time of partition in 1947, full supply discharge of UBDC during Kharif was 6900Cs.

Hussainwala Headwork was constructed in the year 1927 at Ferozepur for utilizing Sutlej / Beas waters through the Bikaner Canal/ Eastern Canal.. The pre-partition utilization of water of rivers Sutlej, Beas and Ravi in the areas of present Punjab forming part of the Indian Union, was 4.55 MAF, 0.50 MAF and 1.48 MAF respectively. The canal irrigation infrastructure in the pre-partition period was very well maintained.