Joint venture bags contract

LAHORE: Water & Power Development Authority (WAPDA) signed a Rs705 million consultancy contract for the Naulong Dam Project, a hydropower and irrigation project in Balochistan province, a statement said on Thursday.

The contract was awarded to a joint venture of Turkish firm Dolsar and Pakistani firm Mott Mcdonald, which will review and update the detailed design, prepare procurement documents, and update the safeguard documents of the project, the statement said

The contract singing ceremony was held at WAPDA House on Thursday. General Manager (Projects) South Muhammad Masood Ahmed Soomro and International Projects Coordinator of Dolsar Cem Aker signed the agreement on behalf of WAPDA and the joint venture respectively. The ceremony was attended by Member (Water) WAPDA Javed Akhtar Latif, Chief Engineer and Project Director Naulong Dam Project Muhammad Yousaf Magsi, WAPDA officers and representatives of the consulting firms.

The Asian Development Bank is providing financial assistance for the consultancy services of the project, which is expected to be completed in 28 months, the statement added.

The Naulong Dam Project will be constructed on the Mula River, about 30 km (19 miles) from Gandava and 24 km (15 miles) from Jhal Magsi. The project will have a gross water storage capacity of 242,163 acre feet to irrigate 47,000 acres of land. It will also have a small hydropower station with an installed generation capacity of 4.4 megawatts.

WAPDA said the project will play a significant role in the development of the far flung and backward areas of Balochistan, by providing irrigated agriculture, flood mitigation, drinking water and low-cost electricity to the locals, as well as creating employment opportunities and alleviating poverty.