Islamabad (Pakistan News): Construction work on the fifth extension project of Tarbela Dam has been affected after water entered the site. The Minister for Water Resources and the Prime Minister's Office have taken notice of the incident and ordered an investigation.
According to sources, the investigation will examine whether the incident occurred due to poor construction quality or natural causes. WAPDA officials have decided to conduct a comprehensive inquiry, while a formal investigation committee is likely to be formed after an initial assessment.
According to available documents, the project's initially approved cost was Rs82.36 billion. However, by January 2026, Rs153.95 billion had already been spent on it. This reveals an additional expenditure of Rs71.59 billion beyond the original estimate.
Construction work on the project began in August 2021, and a report issued in January set May 2027 as the completion deadline. Under the project, three power generation units with a combined capacity of 1,530 megawatts are to be installed.
Due to delays in completion, the contract of the previous consultancy firm was terminated in June 2024. Subsequently, new consultancy firms were hired to supervise the remaining construction work.
According to WAPDA, water entered the site after a weak section of rock collapsed during the excavation of a connecting tunnel. No loss of life was reported, and the project's key installations remained safe.