CDA to construct Chiniot and Shahdara dams

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has decided to construct two new dams to solve the water crisis in the federal capital, Islamabad.

Before the construction of dams, CDA will hire a consultant firm, which will conduct a feasibility study and report on the viability of these dam projects. The CDA Board has approved hiring of consultants for which the Water Wing of CDA has prepared the terms of reference (ToRs). After the approval of chairman, CDA will float tenders for hiring of consultant after November. It will invite tenders under Section 42F of the PPRA rules and only government consultant firms, including NESPAK and Army engineering institutions, would be eligible for the tender.

Chiniot Dam is proposed to be built upstream of Simly Dam, which was built in 1982. Over time, its water storage capacity has decreased by 33 percent. At present, the total water storage capacity of Simly Dam is 6,881 million gallons. Chiniot Dam will actually be constructed as a carryover dam so as not to further reduce the water storage capacity of Simly Dam. It will store 18 to 20 million gallons of water.

The second dam is Shahdara Dam. Currently, one million gallons of water is being taken from Shahdara Water Works. It is the water of springs. It is also a recreational place and 6 million gallons of water can be stored in the dam. The water demand of the urban area of Islamabad has reached 125 million gallons at present while the daily supply from all the existing sources is 80 million gallons. As soon as the water level in Simli Dam and Khanpur Dam falls, this supply also decreases. At present, 28 million gallons of water is being received from Simly Dam. If the dam is full, this supply becomes 32 million gallons. Nine or nine and a half million gallons of water is being taken from Khanpur Dam and 30 million gallons of water is coming from tubewells and two million gallons from Rawal Dam. Shahdara, Saidpur and Noorpur together get five million gallons of water.

This year, Khanpur Dam was filled up to 70 percent instead of 100 percent in monsoon, which has now come down to 60 percent. Simly Dam was 90 percent full. For the first time, the spillways of both the dams have not been opened this year. There is a possibility of water shortage in summer this year. Therefore, CDA has focused on the construction of two new dams. On completion of the feasibility study, two consultants will be hired for detailed engineering design, etc.