RAWALPINDI: Ten years on, the Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has still not completed the Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project Phase-III.

Phase-III of the project began in 2010 when its estimated cost was Rs700 million which has now been increased to Rs880million.

Under the project, 17-km-long main water transmission line was to be laid in cantonment areas, 10 overhead water reservoirs with 500,000 gallon water capacity each and three underground water tanks with 300,000 gallon capacity each were to be constructed.

After the completion of the project, the water supply from Khanpur Dam will enhance to 19 million gallons daily for the cantonment areas of Rawalpindi and Chaklala.

Residents fear that the cantonment areas will continue to face water shortage this year too. They called upon the residents of Rawalpindi and Cantonment Boards to improve the water supply system before the start of summer season.

Due to water shortage, the cantonment boards of Rawalpindi and Chaklala have started water rationing. Mostly residents of cantonment areas get water through private water tankers at high prices.

In cantonment areas, the Rawalpindi and Chakalala cantonment boards supply water to civilians and Military Engineering Services (MES) to military areas. Civilian population is being provided water from tube wells and Khanpur Dam.

Azam Malik, a resident of Misrial Road, said when the RCB was rationing water in winter the summer seems to be harsh when private water tankers have also increased the prices.

Aslam Raja, a resident of Afshan colony, said that they had been hearing for the last ten years that the water supply would improve after completion of Khanpur Dam water supply project.

“I have lost hope that the civic body, which collects water bill and in return supply nothing, would do anything to improve water supply,” he added.

The residents of Chaklala Cantonment Board faced worst condition as water table in the area is receding fast.

Last year, former elected member managed to bring funds from the federal government to install 13 tube wells. Of them, three were still working while the rest have gone dry.

When contacted, RCB Engineer Attiqueur Rehman said the Phase-III project was almost ready and only five to six per cent work was pending which will be completed soon.

He said the water supply network would soon be connected with main transmission line from the dam.

Published in Dawn, February 14th, 2021