Chairman Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Saeed, visited the Diamer-Bhasha Dam Project to review the pace of construction work and progress on key sites.
During his visit, the Chairman was briefed that construction activities are currently underway on 13 different work fronts. The project’s diversion system, built on the Indus River, is operating smoothly even during the current high-flow season. He was also informed that the Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) works for the main dam will commence early next year, while the project is expected to cross another major milestone in early 2026.
Chairman WAPDA directed contractors to ensure the availability of additional resources at all sites to meet deadlines and emphasized the need for effective arrangements to overcome construction challenges.
As part of his visit, the Chairman also inspected Cadet College Chilas, a project supported by WAPDA with an allocation of Rs 2.1 billion to provide modern educational facilities to students in Gilgit-Baltistan, particularly those in the project area.
So far, Rs 78.5 billion has been spent on resettlement, education, health, and infrastructure development for the communities affected by the project. Local residents are also being given priority in job opportunities created during construction.
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam, rising 272 meters, will be the tallest Roller-Compacted Concrete dam in the world. With a storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet, it will add 1.23 million acres of irrigated land and generate 4,500 megawatts of electricity. Once completed, the project will contribute 18 billion units of clean, low-cost hydropower annually to Pakistan’s national grid.