DERA ISMAIL KHAN, June 25: The construction work on Gomal Zam Dam project is in full swing and would be completed according to schedule in 2008.

This was stated by a Wapda spokesman at a press briefing at the dam site on Tuesday.

He said construction of Gomal Zam Dam was part of Wapda vision 2025 programme to irrigate an area of 163,100 acres in Dera Ismail Khan district. The dam site is located at Khajuri Kach on Gomal River in South Waziristan Agency about 60km from Tank.

The contract for the project was awarded to National Water and Hydropower Engineering Corporation and Harbin Power Engineering Company (CWHEC-HPE) of China.

The spokesman told reporters that Wapda had engaged security personnel to provide protection to the staff working at the dam site in tribal area.

The height of the dam would be 437 feet and 492 feet long with a catchment area of 1,316 kilometres. Its discharge capacity is 153,000 cusecs.