RAWALPINDI: Work on Daducha Dam worth Rs6.429 billion will start in two or three weeks as Punjab government has released Rs150 million to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

A senior official of the district administration told Dawn that land acquisition was underway. Payment has been started to private owners and the process will be completed soon.

However, some owners have approached Lahore High Court’s Rawalpindi bench, seeking an increase in the compensation amount.

The official said the contractor will start work on the diversion (flow pipe) and spillway in the first phase.

The dam will be constructed on upstream of Soan River. Rainwater from Murree and Kahuta hills will be stored in a lake at Daducha village near Sihala on Kahuta Road.

As many as 10 villages, seven in Rawalpindi and three in Kahuta, will come under the dam. The project will affect 218 houses, seven industrial and commercial units and other areas.

The total storage capacity of the dam would be 60,000 acre feet, dead level storage capacity 15,000 acre feet and the live storage capacity 45,000 acre feet.

The water inflow to the dam would be 77,000 cusecs and the outflow is estimated at 42,000 cusecs.

The total cost of the construction of the dam is estimated at Rs6 billion and the project will be completed in three years.

Wasa will construct a treatment plant along its main line to provide drinking water to the Rawalpindi city from the dam.

When contacted, Commissioner retired Capt Mohammad Mehmood said the Punjab government has directed to start work on the project as soon as possible to overcome the water shortage in the city and cantonment areas.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2020