ISLAMABAD, Jan 5: The cost of Mangla Dam raising has been increased by over 12 per cent in four months even before the project could practically take off.

Official sources told Dawn the project has been presented to the central development working party (CDWP) to approve the cost increase of the project by over Rs6 billion.

President Gen Pervez Musharraf laid the foundation-stone of the dam raising in September last. The estimated cost of the project has risen since then from Rs53 billion to Rs59.459 billion.

The sources said the cost has gone up mainly because of general increase in construction estimates besides resettlement and compensation package for the people who would be affected due to the dam raising.

The height of the dam would be increased by around 40 feet to increase its storage capacity to partially offset country’s depleted capacity to store water which has already gone down by over 30 per cent due to silting in the last 30 years.

The CDWP, to be presided over by the deputy chairman of the planning commission, would approve seven water and irrigation projects at a total cost of Rs79.145 billion. In all, the meeting would consider Rs246 billion worth of 50 development projects for various parts of the country.

The water and irrigation sector projects are: Rs3.295 billion Fordwah Eastern Sadiqia Remaining Surface Drainage Project, Rs59.459 billion Mangla Dam Raising, Rs1.363 billion Taunsa Barrage Irrigation System Rehabilitation Project, Rs1.068 billion Pat Feeder Command Area Development Project, Rs13 billion Rehabilitation of Irrigation and Drainage System in Sindh, Rs600 million Chagai Water Resources Development and Management Programme, Balochistan, and Rs346.268 million Fan Management of Mithawan Hill Tarrent in Dera Ghazi Khan district.

The CDWP would also approve a number of projects in other sectors.