Mangla to produce 1,310MW by July: WAPDA

Mangla Dam will be producing 1,310 megawatts (MW) of electricity by July 2021 after completion of a project of its rehabilitation and upgrading, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) officials told a parliamentary panel on Wednesday.

The Wapda officials were briefing the National Assembly Standing Committee on Government Assurances on the multipurpose dam that was opened in 1965.

The official said the dam has 10 generating units which originally had a capacity of producing 1,000MW of electricity. They said only two units were closed for maintenance and upgrading whereas the other 8 units are operative, producing 950MW of electricity.

However, after upgrading the two units, the dam will produce 1,310MW of electricity by July 2021.

The NA standing committee was also told that there are 25 toll plazas between Karachi and Islamabad and it is very difficult for the public to pay toll tax at these 25 points.

The committee directed the relevant authorities to collect the toll tax on the motorway and other highways at one point of exit between Karachi and Islamabad. It also directed relevant departments to develop software for this purpose and submit a report to the committee at its next meeting.

The standing committee was informed that the Pakistan Television (PTV), the Radio Pakistan and the Pakistan Post have not paid honoraria to their employees who served during the budget sessions of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The NA panel directed the relevant authorities to pay the honoraria immediately and submit a report in this regard at the next meeting of the committee.