Water project re-tendered after scrutiny

Tenders have been opened to re-award contracts worth Rs20.40 billion for two lots of the Dream Water Supply Project in Rawalpindi, funded by the Asian Development Bank.

Six national and international firms are competing for Lot 2, while five firms have submitted bids for Lot 3.

Financial bids will be opened among those qualifying in the technical evaluation stage, and the contract is expected to be awarded within a month.

Upon completion, the project will supply an additional 12 million gallons of water daily to Rawalpindi from Chahan Dam.

The project is scheduled for completion by December 2027.

Earlier, the contract had been cancelled due to lack of transparency and violations of rules following intervention by the Chief Minister's Inspection Team and the Dream Project Steering Committee.

After the issuance of a no-objection letter by the Asian Development Bank, the re-tendering process was initiated under WASA and the Project Management Unit.

According to details, bids received for both lots have been forwarded to a committee for technical evaluation. Sources said that firms qualifying in the technical stage will compete in financial bidding, and contracts will be awarded under joint venture principles. The entire process will be overseen by the Dream One Water Supply Project Steering Committee.

The project will supply 12 million gallons daily to six densely populated union councils, including areas along Adiala Road, where severe water shortages currently exist, through a new water supply network from Chahan Dam.

Meanwhile, work is already underway on Lots 1 and 4 of the project, costing Rs13.55 billion, which will supply an additional 5 million gallons daily from Rawal Dam and Khanpur Dam to all sectors of Khayaban-e-Sir Syed on a 24-hour basis.