Islamabad's Capital Development Authority to start Shahdara Dam project soon

Islamabad's Capital Development Authority to start Shahdara Dam project soon

ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) on Wednesday announced that construction of the Shahdara Dam project would begin soon. If all goes as planned, this will be the first major water project undertaken in Islamabad in nearly three decades. “We are going to resolve Islamabad’s water issue. Shahdara Dam is the first major step towards our goal,” CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf told Dawn. He said that, according to the project’s PC-I, the mega project was scheduled to be completed in two years, but the authority would try to complete it within 20 months. Mr Ashraf said that, besides the dam, four check dams would also be constructed at the foothills of the Margalla Hills, including one near D-12, Shah Allah Ditta and Saidpur. “Similarly, the project to construct 100 recharge wells is also set to begin. Islamabad receives 1,100 millimetres of rainfall annually, but rainwater goes to waste through nullahs,” he said, adding that the recharge wells would help raise the city’s underground water table. He said the CDA was also working with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on a master plan for water supply, sewerage and drainage in Islamabad. The CDA floated a tender for the Shahdara Dam project on Wednesday, while tenders for the recharge wells and check dams are yet to be issued. Islamabad has been facing a water shortage, as no new water source has been added to the system in the past three decades, resulting in a significant gap between demand and supply. The water demand of Islamabad is around 250 million gallons per day (MGD), while the CDA supplies approximately 70 MGD, mostly to the urban population, through three main sources, including Khanpur Dam, Simly Dam and tubewells. The rural population largely depends on borewells and small water supply schemes run by the district administration. Meanwhile, every year during the monsoon, the CDA releases large quantities of water from Simly Dam, while Rawalpindi authorities also release water from Rawal Dam, which is located in Islamabad but supplies water to the city’s residents. This happens because no system is in place to store surplus water. A press release issued by the CDA on the Shahdara Dam project stated that, after decades of anticipation, consultations and deliberations, the project was expected to introduce a new source of surface water into Islamabad’s water supply system. “The project is anticipated to contribute approximately 5–10 MGD, subject to final design, technical assessments and operational arrangements,” the press release stated. It added that the project was planned for completion within two years and that its timely completion would mark an important milestone in Islamabad’s water infrastructure development and strengthen ongoing efforts to meet the city’s growing water demand. The dam will be constructed near the Shahdara picnic area in Islamabad. Besides Shahdara, the CDA had also planned the construction of Chinot Dam in the catchment area of Simly Dam and Dotara Dam in the catchment area of Khanpur Dam. CDA clears land for 500 plots in I-15 Meanwhile, the CDA has taken a step towards resolving a long-standing issue in Sector I-15 by clearing major encroachments in Sub-Sector 1. The move has paved the way for the planned development of around 500 plots for lawful allottees whose investments have remained tied up since the sector was launched in 2005. According to a press release, the encroached village of Sheikhpur was vacated under the supervision of Deputy Director General (Enforcement) Dr Anam Fatima following nearly two months of sustained enforcement efforts. During the operation, more than 300 houses, barns and havelis were vacated, removing long-standing encroachments that had obstructed the planned development of the sector. The press release added that approximately 36.5 acres of built-up land had been cleared. Published in Dawn, October 29th, 2026