LAHORE: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and National Engineering Services Pakistan (Nespak) signed an agreement on Monday for updating a feasibility study and a detailed engineering design for the proposed dam project in Tank district.

With an estimated cost of Rs18 billion, the Tank Zam Multipurpose Dam project aims to create a water storage reservoir to store flood discharge and to irrigate about 70,000 acres of land. Power generation of 25.5 megawatts will be a byproduct of the project. The project will also help improve the level of groundwater table.

According to Nespak Managing Director Dr Tahir Masood, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has engaged Nespak to provide engineering consultancy services for the proposed dam.

The consultancy services agreement was signed by Director General (Small Dams) Sahibzada Mohammad Shabir of KP’s irrigation department and Nespak Vice President Irfanul Haq.

Nespak’s scope of services comprises updating feasibility study, detailed engineering design, preparing tender documents as well as PC-I of the dam in Tank district.

Meanwhile, the water and power department, civil engineering division of Gilgit-Baltistan, also awarded a contract to Nespak to get its consultancy services for feasibility study and a detailed design to develop a four-megawatt hydropower project at Rattu River, Astore.

The consultants shall carry out all studies, including topographic surveys, geological and geotechnical investigations and environmental impact assessment for feasibility and detailed engineering design of the project that comprises development of a hydropower project in Astore along Rattu River region to tap its available potential.

Published in Dawn, March 29th, 2022