*WAPDA Chairman Visits Tarbela 5th Extension Project, Orders Departmental Inquiry into Tunnel Incident*

Tarbela Ghazi, November 11 (Report: Javed Iqbal Khan): Chairman WAPDA Lt Gen (Retd) Muhammad Saeed visited the Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project on November 9 and 10 to review the situation following the recent incident at the project. Member (Water) WAPDA Asim Rauf Khan, senior WAPDA officials, contractors and consultants were also present.

During the visit, the Chairman inspected the Intake Structure, Tunnel, Power House and other key components of the project. Representatives of the consultants, contractor and WAPDA Project Management briefed him on the current situation and the measures taken so far to address the incident.

Later, the Chairman chaired a meeting at the Project Office, where the possible causes of the incident were discussed in detail. The meeting also reviewed short-, medium- and long-term preventive measures, along with strategies to manage the current situation. Immediate response measures were finalised, and their implementation has already begun.

The consultants, contractor and WAPDA teams unanimously assessed that, at present, there is no threat to the structural integrity of the main Tarbela Dam or any of its critical structures.

The Chairman directed the consultants to submit a comprehensive report covering all aspects of the incident at the earliest. He also instructed the consultants, contractor and WAPDA Project Team to immediately implement remedial measures and finalise a contingency plan to minimise any delays in the overall completion of the project.

He also ordered a departmental inquiry to thoroughly investigate the incident and determine its causes.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Water Resources had sought an initial assessment report from WAPDA, which was submitted on November 10. Federal Minister for Water Resources Mian Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, who had been closely monitoring the situation since the incident, was also personally briefed by the WAPDA Chairman on its details.

The 1,530-megawatt Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project is being constructed on Tunnel No. 5 of Tarbela Dam with financial assistance from the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

3D Media