ISLAMABAD: Diamer-Basha Dam is a project of great significant for the country as it will not only store water for irrigation and help mitigate floods, but will also generate environment-friendly and low-cost hydel electricity.
Federal Minister for Water Resources Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah expressed the views during a visit to the site of Diamer-Basha Dam, being constructed by WAPDA on River Indus, downstream Chilas.
Advisor to PM on AJK &GB Affairs Qamar Zaman Kaira, Special Assistant to PM on Water Resources Muhammad Ali Shah Bacha, Federal Secretary Water Resources Hasan Nasir Jamy and Wapda Chairman Lt-Gen (r) Sajjad Ghani.
The minister and entourage reviewed excavation at right abutment of the dam and construction work on diversion system and permanent bridge.
On the occasion, the minister assured full support of the Ministry for the completion of the project and directed the project management to expedite efforts for completion of the project as early as possible. Earlier, CEO Diamer Basha Dam Company along with the GM, PD, the consultants and the contractors briefed the minister-led team about progress on the project.
Construction work is being carried out on 10 different sites, which include excavation of dam abutments from the top, diversion tunnel, diversion canal, power intake, permanent access bridge and access roads.
Expected to be completed in 2029, Diamer Basha Dam will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 MAF to irrigate 1.23 million acres of additional land. It will have installed power generation capacity of 4,500 MW, and provide 18 billion units of green and clean hydel electricity to the National Grid per annum.
Later, the minister inaugurated 3 MW-Thak Hydel Power Station – a small power house, sufficient to fulfill energy requirements of 1500-1800 households. This has been constructed by Wapda with a cost of Rs1.309 billion as one of the Confidence Building Measures (CBMs). An independent 26km long transmission line has also been constructed at a cost of Rs469.039 million for evacuation of electricity from the Hydel Power Station to Harpan Das model village in Chilas.
Addressing the local elders, Syed Khursheed Ahmed Shah said that the Federal government is committed to socio-economic uplift of the people in the project area. He said that a sum of Rs78.5 billion is being spent on resettlement of affectees and CBMs in health, education and infrastructure development. The Federal Minister reiterated that the locals will always be accorded priority in employment opportunities in Diamer Basha Dam Project.
