Kolkata, March 20 (IANS): In the wake of the collapse of a gate of the Farakka barrage, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his immediate intervention for phase wise replacement of the gates.

Gate number 49 was washed away on March 15, leading to free flow of water down the barrage.

Constructed in 1975, the barrage on the Ganga river in Murshidabad district is nearly 17 km from the India-Bangladesh border.

"We have been seeking the Centre’s intervention in replacing all the 109 gates of the barrage as most of them are damaged and need replacement," state Irrigation Minister Rajib Banerjee told IANS.

"So far, only 22 of them have been replaced. So, the chief minister has written to the prime minister seeking his immediate intervention,” the minister said.

"In her letter, the chief minister has urged the Centre to initiate phase wise replacements of the gates. The collapse of gate number 49 has led to free flow water to Bangladesh. The situation may worsen if other gates too collapse,” added Rajib Banerjee.