Pakistan revives Ghazi-Barotha water supply project

Pakistan's Punjabi government has invited companies to submit their bids for the production of a feasibility report, design and project concept for the supply of water to the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi and its surrounding areas from the Ghazi-Barotha Dam. Bid submission is January 11 and the shortlisted groups will have three months to complete all technical formalities after which the final contract to build the project will be awarded. The cost of the project will be shared by the Punjab, federal governments and the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) while the Capital Development Authority (CDA) will oversee the project. The World Bank has agreed to provide a loan for the project and several private firms have expressed their interest in joining the project in a public-private partnership. The Ghazi-Barotha water supply project will be carried out in three phases. The first phase includes laying a 60km pipeline from the Tarbela Dam at Ghazi-Barotha to a water treatment plant at Sangjiani in Islamabad.