The long-awaited Daducha Dam project, earmarked to furnish the garrison city with a daily provision of 35 million gallons of water, is now in motion, set for completion within two years, estimated to cost over Rs 7 billion, authoritative sources revealed on Saturday.
Daducha Dam Initiation and Timeline
Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), responsible for executing the project, commenced operations at the dam site recently, marking the beginning of a venture conceived in 2001 and finally commissioned to FWO in 2020, after a prolonged 19-year interval.
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Daducha Dam Specifications and Progress
Nestled in Daducha, on the outskirts of Rawalpindi, the dam stands at 123 feet in height and spans 737 feet in length, encompassing a catchment area of 129 square miles. Rawalpindi Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha underscored the site’s vital statistics and expressed commitment to a two-year completion deadline during a recent visit.
Acknowledging the significance of the dam, Chattha highlighted the positive impact it will have on Rawalpindi and its surrounding areas. In adherence to a Supreme Court directive, landowners received compensation based on the prevailing market rates, ensuring equitable and just acquisition practices.
Project Progress and Key Personnel Presence
During the dam site visit, various officials including Station Commander Ahmed Nawaz and representatives from different government departments and FWO were present, signifying the collaborative efforts to drive this essential project forward.
Upon its completion, the Daducha Dam is poised to supply clean water to Rawalpindi, lessening the dependency on tube wells. This strategic move not only ensures a steady water supply aligned with the citizens’ needs but also reduces the burden of high electricity bills for the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA).
Situated in a region with natural characteristics conducive to dam construction, Daducha Dam’s catchment area, sourced from natural springs and rain drains of the hilly tehsil Kahuta, exceeds that of Rawal Dam. With a storage capacity of 60,000 acre-feet, it’s slated to hold immense potential for the region’s water needs.
The Daducha Dam project, a milestone in Rawalpindi’s quest for sustained water supply, heralds a pivotal leap in ensuring clean, ample water resources for the growing needs of the city and its environs.
