KABUL: Government officials visited the Shah-o-Arus dam to assess the overall quality after a widespread concern over the alleged cracks of the dam on August 26, the Ministry of Energy and Water said in a statement the other day. The ministry said that work on the Shah-o-Arus dam construction will be accelerated, months after concerns over allege
In late August, officials of the Islamic Emirate and technical team visited the dam for close evaluation to address the so-called cracks on the dame that yet has to be inaugurated.
According to the statement, discussions between ministry’s representatives and Iranian diplomats have been held in an attempt to resolve the Shah-o-Arus dam’s issues and accelerate construction.
“The otherday, deputy Minister of Water and Energy, Mujib Rahman Omar met with Iranian Ambassador and Counselor Hassan Shirazi, and discussed with him the remaining work on the Shah-o-Arous dam and solving the problems of the dam,” said Akhtar Mohammad Nasrat, spokesman of the ministry, as TOLOnews quoted.
An Austrian company will create mechanical and electrical equipment, and “whenever this company makes this equipment, it will be transferred to Afghanistan and put in the Shah-o-Arus project.”
“With this equipment, the project will be completed and put into use,” said Aminullah Ehsas, the project manager of the dam.
Meanwhile, Hamidullah Yalani, former minister of Water supply agency, highlighted the importance of such dams in Afghanistan, saying it would help in agriculture and overall needs of people.
“The Shah-o-Arus dam or any other dam that is created in Afghanistan will first have a lot of positive effects on the people’s morale and will continue to strengthen agricultural and water management,” he said.
Shah-o-Arus dam is a 75m high concrete gravity dam located in the Shakardara District of Kabul Province in Afghanistan. It has a 60m wide three-bay spillway and is mainly geared towards provision of irrigation water as well as flood control and reliable year-round fresh water supply.
Construction of the dam has long been proposed by the Afghan government. The bidding process deadline of the dam was on 24 March 2014, in which an Iranian company known as Tablieh and Parhoon Tarh JV was chosen as the main contractor for the project, according to media.
Its work was to build the Shah-o-Arus irrigation and hydropower project, which included a rock-filled dam, intake, powerhouse, pickup weir with balancing reservoir and head regulators, and right and left side main canals. The Design-Build contract was awarded to Alborz Sazeh Company. The Kabul Times
Officials speed up construction of Shah-o-Arus dam
