LAHORE, June 28: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) on Monday signed Rs13.79 billion Mangla raising contract with CWE Joint Venture, led by a Chinese company, for main works of the project.

The CWE Joint Venture includes Descon Engineer, Inter construct, Gammon Pakistan and Sachal Engineering Works and was the lowest bidder for the project. The major components of the project includes raising of the dam and main spillway head works besides constructing a control weir upstream of the emergency spillway.

On the completion of the project in 2007, the average annual water availability for irrigation will have increased by 2.88 million acre feet. Power generation of the dam would also go up by 12 per cent after the completion of the project.