Daducha Dam project gets go-ahead

RAWALPINDI:

The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) has approved a Rs36 billion PC-I for the Daducha Dam Water Supply Project, aimed at providing an additional 35 million gallons of water per day to Rawalpindi city and the cantonment.

The project involves bringing water from Daducha Dam through a 28-kilometre pipeline, installing water filtration plants and developing a water supply distribution network between the city and cantonment areas.

The total project cost of Rs36b has been divided equally between Rawalpindi city and the cantonment, with each allocated Rs18b on an equal-sharing basis.

However, a decision on whether the Rs18b share for the cantonment will be borne by the federal government or by the Punjab government will be taken by the provincial cabinet.

The cabinet will also determine the final allocation of the additional 35 million gallons of water per day between Rawalpindi city and the cantonment.

The construction of Daducha Dam is currently under way under the Punjab Irrigation Department, while the network for transporting water from the dam will be developed by the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).

The project is expected to provide much-needed relief to residents of Rawalpindi and the cantonment, which are currently facing a severe water shortage.