GILGIT: The Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) has announced that roller-compacted concrete (RCC) work on the main structure of the Diamer-Bhasha Dam is set to begin in early 2026, marking another major milestone in the mega hydropower project.
According to an official statement issued on Tuesday, preparatory activities — including trial works and excavation of the dam’s abutments and foundation pit — are expected to be completed by the end of this year, paving the way for the start of RCC construction.
On Tuesday, Wapda Chairman Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Saeed visited the project site, located about 40 kilometres downstream of Chilas in Gilgit-Baltistan, to review progress on various components of the dam.
During the visit, the chairman inspected ongoing construction activities at the crushing plant, diversion tunnel, dam foundation pit and abutments, RCC trial section area, and conveyor belt tunnel, the statement said.
Lt Gen Saeed directed the contractors to deploy additional manpower and machinery to accelerate the pace of work and ensure that project targets are achieved within the stipulated timeframe. He also urged Wapda officials and project consultants to adopt a proactive approach in identifying and resolving potential bottlenecks that could cause delays.
Security arrangements for the project were also reviewed during the visit to ensure uninterrupted progress at the site.
In addition to inspecting construction activities, the Wapda chairman visited Chilas Cadet College, which has been constructed by Wapda at a cost of Rs 2.1 billion as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives.
Wapda has so far spent Rs 78.5 billion on resettlement of communities displaced by the project, as well as on social uplift schemes in the areas of health, education, and infrastructure development in the region.
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam, standing at a height of 272 metres, will be the world’s highest roller-compacted concrete dam upon completion. The project will have a gross water storage capacity of 8.1 million acre-feet (MAF) and is expected to irrigate 1.23 million acres of agricultural land.
With an installed power generation capacity of 4,500 megawatts, the dam will contribute approximately 18 billion units of clean, green, and affordable electricity to the national grid every year, significantly strengthening Pakistan’s energy security and water storage capacity.
