Ghazi Barotha Project: PC-1 sent to federal govt
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has sent the PC-1 of multi-billion Ghazi Barotha water supply project to the federal government for final approval and the project is expected to kick off this year.
CDA Chairman Kamran Lashari said Sunday that the PC-1 of the project has been finalized and has been sent to the federal government for final approval.
He said there is no bottleneck in the approval of the project, except approval from Indus River System Authority (IRSA). Approval from IRSA is subject to the consent of the provinces who would have to share water with federal capital as well as Punjab province, what the CDA chairman said may take sometime.
After getting nod from IRSA, the project would be sent to Planning Commission where the Executive Committee of National Economic Council would approve the funds for the project.
The CDA chairman hoped that owing to the essentiality of the project, the matter would be endorsed by the Commission.
After completion, the first phase of the project would ensure the supply of 200 million gallon per day (MGD) water from Tarbela Dam to Islamabad and Rawalpindi. He said the project would cater the needs of the Federal Capital Islamabad, Rawalpindi as well as the Cantonment Board. In its first phase, Islamabad would receive 100 MGD water while the same quantity would be supplied to both Rawalpindi and the Cantonment Board. According to a senior CDA official, the first phase would be completed by the year 2011. The second phase would be started after the estimation of water needs according to the population census report of 2010.
He said the second phase would be started in the year 2015, which would ensure the supply of 400 MGD to the twin cities. The project is aimed at catering the needs of the twin cities till the year 2050, he added.
The official said after considering some reservations by the North West Frontier Province, the CDA has changed the site of the project from Ghazi Barotha to Khanpur, but it would not incur any additional cost, he assured.
He said the CDA would execute the project from its own resources and added that the Punjab Government had not yet paid anything but Rs320 million which would be spent on the consultancy of the project. He said that the CDA could engage some international firms also for the execution of the project. International firms particularly from Korea and Germany have already shown their interest in this concern, he added. The official said the project was expected to be commenced from this year but some procedural delays are impeding to matter. However, he added that the Authority had also planned the replacement of the existing water supply system, which would help end the wastage of water through leakages. “A separate PC-1 for this project has also been approved and the selection of the consultant firm is also underway,” he said.
He said the situation could have turned alarming if the project had been delayed anymore.
The Authority has hired the services of the consultant firm, MM Pakistan, which would complete the study of the project till the year end. He said any guess about the cost of the project would be premature; however, it could touch 40 billion mark.
The pipeline would be about 55-kilometer long. A kilometer-long tunnel would also be constructed through the Margalla Hills. A treatment plant and a small water reservoir would be developed about five kilometers and 13 kilometers respectively.
The official said the consultant had suggested the CDA to pass the pipeline beneath the River Harro, falling on the way, what he said would be decided later.
Replying to a question, he said while executing the project, the Authority would take quake resistant measures particularly in the construction of the tunnel.