Work on the construction of Daducha Dam has resumed after it was halted following the Ring Road scandal.
The Punjab government has allocated Rs6.4 billion for the completion of the project by December. Any further delay in the construction of the dam could increase the risk of acute water shortage in Rawalpindi in the coming months and years.
A senior official of the district administration told The Express Tribune that the initial proposal for the Daducha Dam was prepared in 2001, however, it faced unsolicited delays. He said that the construction had been started at the start of the year, but it was stopped after the Ring Road scandal surfaced.
The senior official said after the removal of the ex-Rawalpindi Commissioner Muhammad Mahmood, the communication between the district administration and company building the dam remained at a standstill.
Read ‘Daducha Dam work to be completed on fast track’
A senior WASA official also confirmed the resumption of work on the water reservoir. He said the Punjab government has initially released Rs6.4 billion for the project and heavy machinery has reached the site.
The official said that all-out efforts were being made to complete the Daducha Dam project as soon as possible. The reservoir is being constructed in Daducha village, some 34-kilometres away from Rawalpindi.
Once completed, around 35 million gallons of water per day will be supplied to the garrison city from the reservoir, which will help in overcoming the water scarcity to a great extent.
According to officials, Rawal Dam has completed its life expectancy of 50 years, while the supply from Khanpur Dam has reduced by 30 per cent. He said that Rawal Dam was constructed in 1965 while Khanpur Dam was built in 1983. Daducha Dam will have a total storage capacity of 45,000-acre-feet while it will provide 35 million daily gallons to the Rawalpindi city. The underground water level in Rawalpindi has plummeted to over 600 feet.
Highlight: Daducha Dam will have a total storage capacity of 45,000-acre-feet
Published in The Express Tribune, August 29th, 2021.
1732012115-0/Untitled-design-(14)1732012115-0-270x192.webp "contractors to take over sanitation")
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ