ISLAMABAD, May 12: The government has decided to allocate about Rs12 billion for Diamer-Basha dam in the next year’s development programme to complete infrastructure required for the construction of dam.

A senior government official said on Friday that the allocated amount would be utilised for the preliminary construction works, including a bridge and a road besides residential buildings.

He said the idea was to ensure that the required infrastructure was fully in place before its construction work started after two to three years.

He said there would be no major allocation for any other major dams in the next year’s budget. But, he said, some funds would be made available in the next year’s Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the construction of about Rs100 billion Neelum-Jhelum hydroelectric power project in the Azad Kashmir.

The estimated cost of the Diamer-Basha dam is $6.7 billion, including an updated feasibility report.