Bahraich/Shravasti/Balrampur/Basti: Passing through the sugarcane and mustard fields of eastern Uttar Pradesh, the 6,623-km-long Saryu canal irrigation project has finally become operational this month, bringing respite and cheer in equal measure for approximately 29 lakh farmers who will benefit from it.
The nearly-Rs 10,000 crore project was in the making for over four decades. First conceptualised in the 1970s, the project got stalled several times because of issues such as complex land acquisition and allegedly erratic disbursement of funds, among others.
The canal involves interlinking five rivers of eastern UP — Ghagra, Saryu, Rapti, Banganga and Rohin — through a network of canals to irrigate 1.4 lakh hectares of land in 6,200 villages. It passes through nine districts in the region — Bahraich, Shravasti, Balrampur, Siddharthnagar, Basti, Gonda, Sant Kabir Nagar, Maharajganj and Gorakhpur.
Starting from Bahraich, where the project begins, ThePrint travelled for two days last week along the canal’s route for around 400 km, crossing five districts. Here are some glimpses from that journey.
![Minor Head Regulator supply water main canal to small canal at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/38-scaled.jpg)
![Local villagers carrying water pipe to supply water in their field at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/9-2-scaled.jpg)
![Local villager pumping water through river at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/36-scaled.jpg)
![Locals villagers suppling water to their field from the river at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/37-scaled.jpg)
![Cattles drinking water from the river at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/6-3-scaled.jpg)
![Children's playing near Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/15-2-scaled.jpg)
![Construction workers going to their work in Bhabhar Nala at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/40-scaled.jpg)
![Ajay Kumar Executive Engineer(middle) UP irrigation department with his team at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/pic2-scaled.jpg)
![Local villagers crossing the Drainage syphon in Kharjhar Nala at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/11-2-scaled.jpg)
![First point of Rapti Main Canal at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/35-scaled.jpg)
![Tail end of Rapti Main Canal at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/2-6-scaled.jpg)
![A view of Ban Ganga River at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/25-scaled.jpg)
![Railway Bridge over the river in Bhathar Chowraha at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/1-6-scaled.jpg)
![A view of Bhabhar Nala at Saryu Nahar Pariyojna Project | Photo: Praveen Jain| ThePrint](https://static.theprint.in/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/27-1-scaled.jpg)