Rohin River barrage in Maharajganj to prove a boon for Purvanchal farmers

• Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the long-awaited barrage on Saturday
• Over 7,000 hectares of agricultural land will get easy access to irrigation water
• Five minor canals drawn from the Rohin River barrage will benefit farmers of Nautanwa and Lakshmipur as well
• The barrage is equipped with manual, electric, and computer-based SCADA systems

Lucknow : The much-anticipated Rohin River barrage in Maharajganj, which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday, has sparked new hope among thousands of Purvanchal farmers. Designed to boost irrigation, the barrage will benefit not only Maharajganj but also surrounding areas such as Nautanwa and Lakshmipur.

Developed under the Yogi government, the barrage is set to eliminate long-standing irrigation issues for thousands of farmers, enhancing agricultural productivity and boosting regional development. The initiative aligns with the government’s vision of “Prosperous Farmers, Empowered Uttar Pradesh.”

Principal Secretary of the Irrigation Department, Anil Garg, stated that the barrage on the Rohin River is approximately 86 meters long and provides irrigation facilities on both sides of the river. Water supply for irrigation is ensured for 4,046 hectares on the left bank and 3,372 hectares on the right bank, benefiting over 7,000 hectares of cultivable land.

The main barrage includes a 10-meter-wide structure with seven steel sluice gates, five of which are 3 meters high, each weighing between 11 to 13 tons. These gates will store the river’s water and channel it to the fields through canals.

Additionally, 4-meter-wide sluice gates with a height of 4 to 5 meters have been installed at the head of the canals on both banks. Previously, only temporary barricades were set up to allow limited irrigation, but this permanent structure will now ensure year-round water availability.

Five minor canals—Ramnagar, Naktoji, Watajagar, Siswa, and Bauliya—have been drawn from the barrage to strengthen the irrigation system in Nautanwa and Lakshmipur development blocks. These canals will support water supply for both Rabi and Kharif crops.

According to Chief Mechanical Engineer Upendra Singh, about 65 years ago, water in this region was stored using temporary barricades, which had to be removed before each monsoon season. As a result, farmers were heavily dependent on rainfall and suffered significant losses during droughts. To address this, the Irrigation Department developed the ‘Rohin Barrage-3’ project into a permanent structure.

The main canal has a discharge capacity of 110 cusecs, and the 45.36 km long Rohin system has a CCA (Culturable Command Area) of 8,811 hectares. The barrage is operated using three systems—manual, electric, and computer-based SCADA. With SCADA, the barrage can be controlled remotely from a control room, reflecting a blend of modernity and tradition.

The Principal Secretary also shared that all the gates and mechanical systems of the barrage were developed at the ISO-certified Irrigation Workshop Division in Bareilly. For emergency situations, stop log gates have also been installed at the barrage.

He noted that this project will not only strengthen water infrastructure, but also enhance farmers’ incomes. Initiatives like these by the Yogi government are giving a new direction to the rural economy through robust infrastructure development.