GILGIT: The roller-compacted-concrete (RCC) works on Diamer-Basha Dam and Dassu Dam Hydropower projects will commence this year, Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman retired Lt Gen Muhammad Saeed was informed on Sunday during a briefing held to review construction progress of both the projects.

The briefing took place during Wapda chairman’s visit to the under-construction Diamer Basha Dam and Dasu Hydropower Projects sites to review construction progress of the projects.

During the visit, the chairman was briefed that RCC works on the main dams of the projects will commence this year, as pre-requisites of the projects are now heading for completion at a faster pace.

During the visit, the chairman directed general managers, consultants and contractors of the projects to adhere to implementation plans in letter and spirit by accelerating the construction work to complete the projects on time.

In the first leg, the chairman had a detailed visit of Diamer-Basha Dam, being constructed on the River Indus, 40 kilometres downstream of Chilas town, and reviewed construction works on major sites including power intake, dam pit, downstream coffer dam, left abutment, flushing tunnel, guide wall, RCC batching plant and laboratory.

The general manager/project director along with the consultants and the contractors briefed the chairman site-wise achievements versus targets. At present, the construction is being carried out on 20 work sites of the project. Excavation work at the left abutment and dam pit (foundation) is substantially completed. RCC trials for the main dam have also been conducted successfully.

With completion of the right abutment’s excavation, placing of RCC for the main dam will start during the current year. Completion of the dam is scheduled in 2030. Later, the chairman had a meeting with local ulema and progress on confidence-building measures (CBMs) for uplift of the people in the project area was reviewed.

The chairman was informed that construction of a cadet college in Chilas has been completed, progress on Harpan Das model village stands at about 61 per cent while levelling of plots and additional works of roads, water supply and sewerage system are in progress.

The chairman was further informed that a contract has also been awarded for water supply scheme in Chilas town while bidding is in progress for construction of a rural health centre at Shatial in upper Kohistan.

In the second leg of his visit, the chairman visited Dasu Hydropower project in upper Kohistan district of KP.

His visit included tour of all key sites, including dam pit, underground power house and underground transformer cavern. The general manager/project director of the project informed the chairman that construction work has continued on 23 work sites of the project.

He was further informed that crushing and batching plants have been completed and they are now in operation. Pouring of RCC for the main dam will start during the current year. The 132 KV transmission line, meant for providing supply of electricity during construction of the main dam, is in the final phase of testing and commissioning, which will be energised within days.

Electricity generation from the project will start in 2028.

Published in Dawn, February 16th, 2026