Major progress of Diamer Basha Dam

ISLAMABAD, June 21 (Gwadar Pro) - A joint venture of Power China and Frontier Works Organisation has achieved a major milestone in preliminary works underway at eight different sites on 4500 megawatts Diamer Basha Dam.

In the second week of June, the Chinese and Pakistani engineers working on the project celebrated the breakthrough of the heading (top portion) of Diversion Tunnel 2 from downstream side to divert river Indus from the main dam’s site.

Piyar Ali a worker of the Project told Gwadar Pro that the development will help accelerate the remaining excavation (630 meters) of the Tunnel 2 benching (middle portion of the tunnel). The total length of the Diversion Tunnel 2 on the right side of the main dam is 957 meters, with 16 meters in width and 16.9 meters in height.

Piyar Ali said tha this completion of Tunnel 2 will be a major achievement as main works of the dam could only be started after diverting the river water from the construction sites. The project also includes a diversion canal, work on which is underway at fast pace, while initial studies are also underway to start work on Diversion Tunnel 1, Ali added.

The 272-meter-high roller compacted concrete (RCC) dam will store 8.1 million acres feet (MAF) water besides providing 18 billion units of clean and cheaper energy.