Development project: For Kalash Valley, a new hydel power station

More than 7,000 people from six villages of Kalash Valley will get access to electricity through the power station.

CHITRAL: The crowd gasped as they saw glowing light bulbs in their area of the Kalash Valley for the first time. “We have spent our entire life in darkness and faced many problems because of it. But now, our children will be able to study at night and our females will have access to light,” an elder of the valley said.

The people belonging to the Kalash Valley were gathered together for the inauguration ceremony of a micro-hydel power station, which was built as a part of the Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP) and funded by the Australian people.

More than 7,000 people from six villages of the Kalash Valley will get access to electricity through the power station.

The electricity will be transmitted to various houses, hotels, hospitals and mosques in the area. It will be sold to domestic users for Rs3.50 per unit and for Rs8 for commercial purposes.

While talking to The Express Tribune, an engineer who was part of the project said the station was built in three months at the cost of Rs20 million. “The station is fully automatic with additional water heating system that will supply hot water to the residents during cold weather,” he said.