Construction on the Shahdara Dam project will start soon, bringing what could be Islamabad's initial major water infrastructure effort in almost thirty years, according to the Capital Development Authority.
Sohail Ashraf, chairman of the Capital Development Authority, mentioned to Dawn that the agency intends to finish the build in 20 months, beating the original two-year schedule found in the preliminary planning papers.
“We are going to resolve Islamabad's water issue. Shahdara Dam is the first major step towards our goal,” Ashraf stated.
On Wednesday, the Capital Development Authority published a construction tender for the dam. Located close to the Shahdara picnic spot, the initiative should add a fresh surface water supply to the municipal network of Islamabad.
A press release from the Capital Development Authority notes that the dam should yield between 5 and 10 million gallons per day, depending on the final engineering, technical reviews and operational plans.
In addition to the Shahdara Dam, the Capital Development Authority intends to build four check dams near the base of the Margalla Hills, featuring sites close to D-12, Shah Allah Ditta and Saidpur. Tenders for these specific sites have not been released yet.
Work on 100 recharge wells to restore underground water supplies in Islamabad is also on the agenda for the Capital Development Authority. Beyond the Shahdara Dam, the agency mapped out two extra projects: Chinot Dam located in the catchment zone of Simly Dam, and Dotara Dam located in the catchment zone of Khanpur Dam.
