ISLAMABAD

The federal government has asked the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to ensure timely completion of the Kundal dam and warned that in case of failure no funds will be provided by the federal government.
The Planning Commission on Wednesday issued authorisation for the Kundal dam to be constructed at the cost of Rs 2,336.47 million, an official source told The Nation here. The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved the revised PC-I of the project last month.
The original PC-I of Kundal Dam project was approved by the CDWP in October 2012 at a cost of Rs.817.739 million on 50:50 cost sharing basis between Federal government and provincial government for two years completion period. However the project couldn’t be completed within approved cost and time frame and delay in the construction of dam has increased the cost of the project from Rs 817.739 million to Rs 2336.47 million. The delay in the implementation has increased the land acquisition cost by 14 to 15 times, spillway cost of the project increased by six to seven times, irrigation system doubled, detailed design 92 percent increase and the material cost increase by 600pc, the source informed.
Kundal dam located in District Swabi, KP, the ministry of water and power is sponsoring agency while Directorate General Small Dams, Irrigation Department, government of KP are executing agency of the project.
The revised PC-I of the project stated “The project will provide water for irrigation purpose and helping in controlling of floods. It will help to overcome water scarcity in the area and bring more barren land under assured irrigation supply”.
The feasibility study of the project was undertaken in 1992 by the M/S Babtie Shaw and Morton Consulting Engineers in association with Hunting Technical Services Ltd UK. The storage capacity of the Kundal dam is 11755 AF and it will meet the irrigation demand of 13340 acres of land lying on left and right bank of Nullah which is now under barani cultivation and irrigation Dug Wells. The Federal government has allocated Rs 500 million for the project in PSDP 2015-16 and the project will be now completed in three years.