River Swat to be diverted in April for Mohmand Dam

ISLAMABAD: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) is set to divert the course of the River Swat in April to facilitate construction activities at the Mohmand Dam site, according to officials.

During a visit to the Mohmand Dam site in the Mohmand district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Wapda Chairman Engr Lt Gen Sajjad Ghani (retd) inspected various aspects of the project. Accompanied by the advisor (Projects) Wapda, GM, and PD Mohmand Dam Project, as well as consultants and contractors, the chairman reviewed the ongoing construction work at the spillway, diversion tunnels and powerhouse. Following the site inspection, a progress review meeting was convened at the project office, where the construction status of 12 sites was discussed. Detailed briefings were provided on various aspects including the diversion scheme, concreting and slope stabilization at the spillway, excavation works at the powerhouse and irrigation tunnels, construction of structures across irrigation canals, and finishing works on access roads along the riverbanks.

It was reported during the meeting that the project’s administrative offices and staff have been permanently relocated to newly-constructed facilities within the project area. Additionally, completed buildings will be gradually occupied, accommodating the remaining staff accordingly. The project, slated for completion in 2026, will have a storage capacity of 1.29 million acre-feet (MAF) to irrigate 18,237 acres of new land and supplement irrigation for 160,000 acres of existing land. With an installed power capacity of 800 MW, it is expected to generate 2.86 billion units of electricity annually and provide 300 million gallons of water per day to Peshawar. The anticipated annual benefits of the project are estimated at Rs 51.6 billion.