Tenders invited for two new dams
PHOTO: AFP
In order to overcome the existing water woes of the Rawalpindi district, the Punjab Small Dams Organisation has invited tenders for the construction of two new dams under the Annual Development Programme 2022-23.
The total cost of Mahota Dam in Chak Beli Khan, the densely populated area of the district, is estimated to be over Rs660.2 million while the estimated cost of Mujahid Dam is over Rs930.7 million.
The projects of these two dams were approved by former federal minister Ghulam Sarwar Khan and former deputy speaker of the Punjab Assembly, Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi.
The funds for these projects have now been made available in the current fiscal year and in case the funds are not utilised within 30 days, they will lapse and go back to the provincial finance ministry after which their recovery will become impossible due to the prevailing economic crisis.
The Small Dams Division has invited tenders from the dam building companies till May 30, which will be opened on the same day and awarded to the lowest bidding company.
With the construction of these two dams, 350,000 people residing in the suburbs of the Rawalpindi district will get access to clean drinking water while the supply of water from these dams will also help irrigate 13,000 acres of agricultural land.
After its completion in one and a half years, Mahota Dam will irrigate 7,000 acres of land in the area. Mujahid Dam, which will take two years to complete, will irrigate 10,000 acres of land.
State-of-the-art amusement parks will also be built alongside the two dams. A boating facility will be available in both dams. Further, different varieties of fish will also be released in these dams and licenses for fishing will also be issued to interested fishermen.
The parks around the dams will have small Miyawaki forests while pipelines will be laid to supply water to all the surrounding settlements. Over and underground water tanks will be constructed and a special catchment area will also be created for the storage of rainwater in the entire area.
Sources said with the construction of these two dams, the major water shortage issues being faced by the surrounding areas will also be resolved.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 16th, 2023.