Kolkata, Nov 3 (IANS): Repairing the damaged lock gate of the Durgapur barrage is expected to be completed by Wednesday evening, a senior district official said.

The officials of the state irrigation department have already deployed cranes to pull the damaged lock gate. Efforts are also on to dry up the river bed area for undertaking full-fledged repair work.

A portion of the lock gate of Durgapur barrage got severely damaged last Friday night, triggering panic among the villagers in the low-lying areas of West Bengal's West Burdwan district.

According to the state irrigation department officials, the lock gate number 31 of Durgapur barrage suffered heavy damage and became non-functional, thereby failing to check the flow of water.

It resulted in continuous release of a huge quantity of gushing water from the barrage.

West Burdwan District Magistrate Purnendu Maji said that a lot of work has already been achieved and if everything goes well, it is expected to be completed by Wednesday evening.

Meanwhile, drinking water is being supplied in the industrial township by water tankers. The Durgapur Projects Ltd (DPL) and the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) have decided to regulate power generation due to water scarcity following damage to the lock gate, sources said.

The 692 metre-long Durgapur barrage was built on the Damodar River in 1955. It has 34 gates, including 2 under-sluice gates. It is a 12-metre high barrage.

Water from the barrage is supplied for drinking purposes as well as to various big units in the Durgapur-Asansol industrial belt.