Diamer Bhasha Dam: Officials say project right on track

14 local contracts have already been awarded.

ISLAMABAD: The 4,500 megawatt Diamer Bhasha Dam Project is being implemented on priority, and the government has allocated about Rs13.78 billion for the project during the ongoing fiscal year. Official sources said as many as 14 local contracts had already been awarded, and construction work on offices, colonies, contractors’ camp and road infrastructure for the Water and Power Development Authority was in full swing. They said that the process to acquire land for the project had also been initiated, while a sum of Rs6.85 billion had been paid to the respective governments till June 2012 for the purpose. A lucrative compensation package for affectees of the project has also been devised in accordance with international standards. On completion, the project will store 8.1 million acre feet of water, in addition to generating about 20 billion units of low-cost hydel electricity every year.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15^th, 2013.

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