Dasu Hydropower Project: WAPDA signs two contracts with Chinese company

[Edevelop]

LAHORE: In what can be termed as a significant development for the Dasu Hydropower Project, which has a total generation capacity of 2160 megawatts, the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) signed two agreements for the relocation of the Karakorum Highway (KKH) and the construction of the Right Bank Access Road.

According to a release, the contracts were signed between WAPDA and the China Civil Engineering Construction Company (CCECC) on Monday at the WAPDA House. WAPDA Chairman Zafar Mahmood, members of the authority, CCECC Acting President Hao Xizhong, CCECC Assistant President Wang Xiangdong and Dasu Project authorities were present on the occasion.

The first contract, Dasu-KKH-01, is worth Rs14.538 billion and relates to the relocation of the 25-km stretch of the KKH. The contract is scheduled to be implemented in 546 days. The two-lane relocated stretch will be constructed at a higher attitude with the design standard prescribed for KKH. With construction of this strip, the passage to the mechanical area and access to the dam site will be bypassed so as not to hinder the construction activities on the project.

The second contract, Dasu-RAR-01, amounting to Rs2.713 billion, is scheduled to be implemented in one year. This 12-km long road will be constructed on the right bank of the River Indus from Komila to the Seo Dam site.


At the moment, there is no proper road access except an off-road track. The construction of the two-lane access road will not only enable the project authorities to initiate work on camps and proposed vocational training institutes but also provide people of the adjoining areas with a road facility.

The district administration is currently busy in the land acquisition for the first stage of the project. However, project authorities have said that the process of acquiring land is slow, and expressed apprehension that implementation of these contracts and the first stage will suffer delays if land is not acquired on time.

Dasu Hydropower Project: WAPDA signs two contracts with Chinese company - The Express Tribune