Islamabad: The Diamer Bhasha Dam Project is set to move into its next construction phase following the successful completion of Roller-Compacted Concrete (RCC) trials and excavation works on the dam’s abutments and foundation pit, with full-scale RCC work expected to commence in early 2026.
Chairman of WAPDA, Lt Gen (retd) Muhammad Saeed, recently visited the project site to review progress. He was accompanied by Maj Gen Abdul Sami, Director General of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), along with the CEO of Diamer Bhasha Dam Company, project managers, and the consultants overseeing the development.
The dam, being constructed across the River Indus about 40 kilometers downstream of Chilas, will be the tallest RCC dam in the world at 272 meters. Once completed, it will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet, irrigating approximately 1.23 million acres of land. Additionally, the project will generate 4,500 MW of electricity, supplying 18 billion units of clean, affordable energy annually to Pakistan’s national grid.
During his visit, Lt Gen Saeed inspected key project areas including the crushing plant, diversion tunnel, dam pit and abutments, coffer dams, RCC trial sections, and batching plants. Construction is ongoing simultaneously at 13 locations, with the river diversion system successfully managing high-flow conditions this season.
Emphasizing timely completion, the Chairman instructed contractors to allocate additional resources and urged WAPDA teams and consultants to proactively address potential bottlenecks. Security arrangements for the site were also reviewed.
As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, WAPDA has completed Cadet College Chilas at a cost of Rs 2.1 billion and invested Rs 78.5 billion in resettlement, health, education, and infrastructure programs in the project area, prioritizing employment for the local population.
The Diamer Bhasha Dam remains a landmark project for Pakistan, promising significant contributions to both irrigation and power generation, while fostering socio-economic development in the region.
Samra Zulfiqar, a real estate analyst at Zameen.com, is passionate about finding projects that offer buyers the best returns. Her keen insights spotlight the market’s most promising opportunities.
