Gomal Zam Dam: execution delay pushes up project cost to Rs 20 billion

Delay in implementation has increased the cost of Gomal Zam multipurpose project to Rs 20 billion from Rs 12 billion, it is learnt. Sources said the original PC1 of Gomal Zam Dam project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on August 31, 2001 at a cost of Rs 12.829 billion with foreign aid component of Rs 7.865 billion for implementation in 72 months.
The meeting was informed that the project could not be completed within the approved cost and timeframe due to law and order situation, price escalation and inclusion of additional scope of work in the project activities. The contractor withdrew from the contract due to security issues and the work was awarded to Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The revised PC1 with Rs 20.626 billion cost was approved by the Ecnec meeting chaired by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar dated March 6, 2014. The meeting was also informed that around 80 percent physical work on irrigation network has been completed while work on dam component, barrage and power house has already been completed and electricity is being generated.
The Planning Commission stated that the Dam is being constructed on Gomal River in South Waziristan in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The main objective of the project is to harness flood water and conserve the perennial flow for providing assured irrigation water supply of 848 cusecs to irrigate 191,139 acres of land including 28,053 acres additional land which falls under the command of Waran Canal System and generates 17.4MW electricity. The project's objectives include dealing with water scarcity, additional reservoirs and decrease in poverty in backward irrigated areas.
The meeting was informed that the irrigation system of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa comprises 83 flow irrigation schemes, 45 lift irrigation schemes, seven water storages and 762 tubewells. The total length of canals is about 4,335 kms covering 2.277 million acres. About 0.284 million acres area will also come under cultivation after completion of Gomal Zam Dam and other small dams. The total expenditure incurred on the project is Rs 15 billion with Rs 5 billion from Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and the remaining amount of Rs 5 billion was provided by the USAID and Rs 5 billion through bridge financing by Wapda from its own resources.