LAHORE: Pakistan Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on Tuesday signed Rs Rs 571.95 million contract with China Railway First Group (CRFG) for construction of resettlement sites and Shatial museum - the components of Dasu Hydropower Project.
Dasu Hydropower Project General Manager (WAPDA) Haji Muhammad Farooq Ahmed and CRFG Deputy Directr Zhang Yong signed the agreement on behalf of their organisations here at WAPDA House, where WAPDA Chairman Zafar Mahmood, Member (Water) Muhammad Shoaib Iqbal, Member (Power) Badr-ul-Munir Murtiza, Member (Finance) Anwar-ul-Haq, Managing Director (Administration) Muhammad Ashraf Khan, Secretary WAPDA Amer Ahmad, senior WAPDA officers and representatives of the project consultants and the contractor were also present.
The contract includes construction of three sites for resettlement of the project affectees belonging to Choochang village and develop an open-air museum at archeological site of Shatial to conserve pre-historic rock carvings. The contract is scheduled to be completed in one and a half years.
On this occasion, WAPDA Chairman said that Dasu Hydropower Project is of immense importance to cope with electricity shortages in the country. He urged upon the contractor to complete the works within cost and stipulated time as well as in accordance with quality standards laid down for the purpose. The CRFG Representative assured the WAPDA of meeting timelines and best quality requirements in implementation of the project.
Earlier, Dasu Hydropower Project General Manager briefed the participants about progress on the project and said that contractors of four contracts, which were awarded earlier, mobilised to the sites for construction of 132-KV transmission line from Duber Khwar Hydel Power Station to Dasu project site, relocation of Karakoram Highway, construction of the right bank access road and project colony. The Chairman directed the project authorities to expedite construction work on transmission line to meet the timelines of the contract.
It is to mention that federal government is implementing Dasu Hydropower Project in two stages i.e. Stage-I and II. World Bank is financing Stage-I of the Project with an IDA Credit of USD 588.4 million and an IDA PCG of USD 460 million. The 2160 MW-Stage-I is scheduled to be completed in five years and contribute more than 12 billion units of cheap, affordable and environment-friendly electricity to the national grid every year.
The project will not only add a sizeable quantum of low-cost electricity to the national grid but also provide relief to the consumers by reducing power tariff. To cap it all, the project will usher in a new era of socio-economic development in the far-flung areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
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