Seven new dams okayed for Pindi

Body decides to conduct mapping, designing, topographic surveys

RAWALPINDI:

The Punjab Small Dams Organisation has given approval for the construction of seven additional dams in the Rawalpindi region in the upcoming financial year.

The organisation has also decided to conduct mapping, designing, and topographic surveys for these dams.

According to official sources, the total cost of the survey is estimated to be over Rs21 million, with each dam's mapping survey costing approximately over Rs3 million.

According to an executive engineer of the Small Dams Organisation, contracts for the topographic survey of these dams will be awarded to renowned international companies on June 20. The construction of new dams is deemed necessary in all four districts of the Rawalpindi division including Rawalpindi, Attock, Chakwal, and Jhelum. The first phase will include the construction of seven dams, including Ghambir Dam in Chakwal, which is expected to have its topographic design survey completed within 120 days. Anker Dam in Chakwal will undergo a design survey targeting completion within 90 days. The topographic surveys of Lava Dam in Chakwal, Sawar Dam in Chakwal, Chhapri, Gangwal, and Bakrala dams in Attock are scheduled to be finished in seventy-five days.

Once the surveys are completed, these dams will be incorporated into the new annual development programmes, with the necessary PC-I documents prepared. It is important to note that the thirteen dams previously proposed in the four districts of the division are separate from this current initiative. The construction of all these dams is expected to be finalised by 2025.

The estimated survey cost of the project has been already released.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2023.