RAWALPINDI: A few days before the end of the fiscal year 2018-19, the federal government released Rs58 million for the completion of the Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project Phase-III.

A senior official of the RCB told Dawn that work on the water supply project for cantonment areas had been pending for nine years.

So far in the current fiscal year, the government had not released funds for the project.

Remaining work on Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project Phase-III will be completed to overcome water shortage in cantt areas, official says

About 10 per cent work on the project is pending and the civic body was waiting for the funds to connect the main water supply system to various localities.

“Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonment areas rely on the supply of water from Khanpur Dam as the underground water level is depleting fast.”

The official said the project would mostly benefit the residents of Chaklala where tubewells have gone dry.

Contractors constructing underground and overhead water tanks had stopped work this year asking for the clearance of their dues, he added.

He said water supply lines had been laid in almost all the cantonment areas a year ago. However, there are some areas where the lines are to be connected with the main supply line.

When contacted, RCB spokesman Qaiser Mehmood said the civic agency was waiting for the release of funds and now work would be sped up.

“The contractors have been asked to start work as their payments will be made soon,” he said.

He said there was no chance of lapse as the funds would be spent in the next three weeks.

He said most of the amount would be spent on payment of dues to the contractors and connection of water supply system with the main line.

Water shortage in the cantonment areas would be overcome after completion of the project.

He said monsoon rains would further increase the water level in Khanpur Dam which would be enough for the summer season. He said the civic body would also start work to plug leakages to further improve the supply system.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2019