WAPDA chairman visits Mohmand Dam project

Urges contractors to divert River Swat during low flow season

LAHORE:

Chairman of the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (Retd), conducted a site visit to the Mohmand Dam Project, situated across the River Swat in the Mohmand District of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. During the visit, he inspected various construction sites within the project, with particular attention to the spillway and river diversion tunnels. These sites are currently undergoing excavation, stabilisation, and concreting works simultaneously.

Ghani chaired a progress review meeting during the visit, which was attended by the General Manager/Project Director of the Mohmand Dam Project, senior project members, and representatives from consulting and contracting firms. The meeting covered the progress made on the river diversion tunnels, spillway excavation, concreting, the project colony, and permanent access roads within the project area. Discussions also revolved around quarry development, coffer dam design, and the timeline for river diversion.

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It was emphasised that concerted efforts are underway to complete the diversion system according to the established timelines. The WAPDA chairman reiterated the importance of ensuring the diversion of the River Swat during the current low-flow season. He directed the contractor to allocate additional resources to expedite this crucial process.

The Mohmand Dam is one of the eight mega projects under construction by WAPDA, intended to add approximately 10 million acre-feet (MAF) of water storage and 10,000 megawatts (MW) of hydropower in phases from 2024 to 2028-9. The dam is scheduled for completion in 2026 and is expected to store 1.29 MAF of water, facilitate irrigation for 18,233 acres of new land, supplement irrigation supplies for 160,000 acres of existing land, and provide 300 million gallons of water per day for drinking purposes in Peshawar. The project will also have a power generation capacity of 800 MW.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 9^th, 2023.

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