As mobilisation and preparation of work on strategically important Diamer Basha Dam project is gaining momentum, Wapda Chairman Lt Gen Muzammil Hussain (Retd) visited the project to witness preparatory work, infrastructure development in the project area and shifting of the heavy machinery and other equipment to the site.

Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) Director General (DG) Maj Gen Kamal Azfar, Wapda Member (Water) and Diamer Basha Dam Project General Manager Amir Bashir Chaudhry, officials from Power China and other senior officers concerned were also present on the occasion, said a press release issued on Sunday.

Apart from Power China, FWO is one of the two construction companies of the joint venture that won contract of the main dam and allied structures of Diamer Basha Dam Project.

During his visit to the project area, the Wapda chairman had a detailed round of the main dam site and the contractor’s camp, where machinery and equipment have been stationed to kick start construction activities on the main dam and the appurtenant structures.

Appreciating the swift mobilisation of the contractors, he expressed the hope that mobilisation of the contractor to the project site will be completed very soon. Highlighting the significance of Diamer Basha Dam Project to cope with the increasing needs of water and electricity in the country, the chairman urged the project management and the contractors to work with commitment and zeal, so that the project is completed on time.

Earlier, the project management briefed the chairman about infrastructure development, mobilisation status and preparedness to initiate construction work on the main dam and allied structures and components.

Diamer Basha Dam is being constructed on River Indus – 40 kilometres downstream of Chilas town. The project is of paramount importance for water, food and energy security of Pakistan.

It has a gross water storage of 8.1 million acre feet (MAF) to mitigate floods and irrigate about 1.2 million acres of land. The project has an installed capacity of 4500 megawatt (MW) with annual energy generation of 18.1 billion low-cost electricity.