PESHAWAR: The roller-compacted concrete (RCC) work on the main dams of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam and the Dasu Hydropower Project will commence this year.
This was stated by officials during a visit by WAPDA Chairman Lt-Gen (Retd) Muhammad Saeed to the under-construction projects on Monday to review the pace of work.According to a communication, officials informed the WAPDA chief that prerequisites for initiating RCC work on the main dams of both projects were nearing completion at an accelerated pace, enabling commencement within the current year.
During the visit, the chairman directed the general managers, consultants and contractors to strictly adhere to implementation plans and accelerate construction activities to ensure completion of the projects as per schedule.
In the first leg of the visit, the chairman reviewed progress at the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project, being constructed on the Indus River, about 40km downstream of Chilas town.The general manger /project director, along with consultants and contractors, briefed the chairman on site-wise achievements against targets. Construction work is currently underway at 20 sites. Excavation at the left abutment and dam pit (foundation) has been completed.
RCC trials for the main dam have been successfully conducted. With completion of excavation at the right abutment, placement of RCC for the main dam will begin during the current year. The dam is scheduled for completion in 2030.
Later, the chairman held a meeting with local ulema. Progress on confidence-building measures (CBMs) for the uplift of communities in the project area was reviewed. A substantial amount is being spent on development schemes under the CBMs.
Cadet College Chilas has been completed. Work on Harpan Das Model Village stands at about 61 percent, while levelling of plots and additional works related to roads, water supply and sewerage systems are in progress.
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam will have a storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet (MAF), enabling irrigation of 1.2 million acres of additional land. With an installed generation capacity of 4,500MW, the project will supply 18 billion units of low-cost, environment-friendly electricity annually to the national grid.
The chairman later visited the Dasu Hydropower Project, being constructed across the Indus River in Upper Kohistan district.The GM/PD briefed him that construction work is continuing at 23 work fronts. Crushing and batching plants have been completed and are operational. Pouring of RCC for the main dam will start during the current year, while electricity generation from the project is expected to begin in 2028. The chairman also inaugurated a 132kV grid station at the Dasu project site.The 4,320MW Dasu Hydropower Project is planned to be completed in two stages.
