20-metre breach in Sirhind canal floods Bhairomajra road, villages face flood threat
Babushahi Bureau
Sri Chamkaur Sahib (Punjab), September 2, 2026: A major breach in the Sirhind Canal near the Bhairomajra road in Sri Chamkaur Sahib triggered panic early Wednesday after water that had been seeping from the canal for the past three days suddenly caused a breach measuring around 20 metres wide and 12 feet deep.
The breach resulted in a strong flow of canal water towards Jatana, Bela, Bhairomajra and Taprian villages, raising fears of a flood-like situation in the surrounding areas.
The breach was discovered at around 5 am when two motorcycle-borne youths from Bhairomajra fell into it. Both sustained serious injuries, while one of the motorcycles was swept away by the force of the water and later got stuck in bushes at some distance from the spot.
The injured youths managed to save themselves and informed villagers over the phone. Announcements were subsequently made from local gurdwaras, alerting residents about the situation.
Soon after the announcements, a large number of young people reached the spot and began efforts to control the water flow and plug the breach using sandbags. The injured youths were taken to a hospital in Sri Chamkaur Sahib for treatment. Within a short time, thousands of people had gathered at the site.
Aam Aadmi Party constituency in-charge Jasveer Singh Garhi, who reached the spot from Balachaur, also joined the local youth in carrying sandbags and helping control the flow of water.
Garhi termed the incident a result of administrative negligence and said those responsible would not be spared. He also said he had informed Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann about the situation.
Meanwhile, local residents alleged that they had been informing the administration for several days about the weakening portion of the canal and the water leakage, but no timely action was taken. Residents also claimed that scrap and debris stuck underneath the bridge had obstructed the flow of water, further worsening the situation.
Following the incident, angry residents staged a protest on the Sri Chamkaur Sahib bridge, bringing traffic to a halt. Protesters raised slogans against the Punjab government, the local MLA and the administration.
The protesters demanded that the breach be completely plugged immediately and that action be taken against officials responsible for the alleged negligence.