Latest news with #WASARawalpindi
Express Tribune
22-05-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
WASA settles debts after historic bailout
The Water and Sanitation Authority (WASA) has started clearing its long-standing dues to the government agencies after approval of Rs3.57 billion worth bailout package by the Punjab government. For the first time in its 28-year history, WASA Rawalpindi has received a bailout package to rescue it from a severe financial crisis and make it financially stable. This financial support will enable WASA to pay off long-standing dues owed to IESCO and CDA for the past 16 years. WASA, now upgraded to the WASA Authority, had repeatedly requested one-time bailout package from previous Punjab governments to address its financial difficulties. However, none of the past administrations approved such assistance. This time, WASA Rawalpindi, through the support of Punjab Senior Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, requested the bailout package, which was approved by Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. As a result, Rs3.57b in funds were released to WASA. With this funding, WASA has cleared Rs1.98b in outstanding dues to IESCO, completely settling its liabilities. Additionally, the process has begun to clear Rs1.59b in pending payments to the Capital Development Authority (CDA) related to maintenance charges and cost-sharing for the Khanpur Dam Water Supply Project. These payments are expected to be completed within this week. Managing Director of WASA Rawalpindi, Muhammad Saleem Ashraf, says by June 2025, WASA will be free from all legacy liabilities for the first time since its inception. This milestone will position WASA to achieve a significantly improved financial standing in the upcoming fiscal year 202526 through increased collection of water supply and sewerage charges, the issuance of new water connections, and recovery of outstanding dues from consumers amounting to millions of rupees, he adds. The MD further notes that WASA is currently providing water supply and sewerage services to citizens at subsidised rates. In addition, it is working on projects to secure additional water from Rawal Dam and Khanpur Dam, along with ongoing projects at Chahan Dam and Daducha Dam. The completion of these new water supply projects and the upgrading of existing infrastructure will enable WASA to meet the water needs of Rawalpindi's residents more effectively, the MD says.
Express Tribune
19-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Punjab on alert, WASA asked to complete monsoon prep by May 31
Listen to article The Punjab Water and Sanitation Authority (PWSA) has asked all five Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs) in the province to complete their monsoon preparations by May 31. During a performance review meeting held on Saturday, PWSA Director General Tayyab Farid stressed the urgent need to clean sewer lines, repair heavy machinery, and set up monsoon camps before the pre-monsoon season begins on June 15, according to a report by APP. 'Revenue recovery is critical to maintaining water and sewerage services,' Farid said, emphasizing that WASAs must also improve their financial performance to keep essential services running smoothly. The meeting was attended by managing directors and officers from all five WASAs. Farid said that in addition to technical preparations, low-lying areas must be identified, and training drills should be conducted with emergency services to prepare for possible flooding. Meanwhile, WASA Rawalpindi Managing Director Muhammad Saleem Ashraf gave a briefing on his agency's progress. He said cleaning of sewer lines was already underway and would be completed before the deadline. He added that WASA Rawalpindi has functional heavy machinery including sucker and jetting machines and dewatering pumps ready to respond to emergencies. The agency has also asked the Punjab Government for funds to clean Leh Nullah and 15 other main drains in the city. Low-lying areas in Rawalpindi have already been identified with the help of the district administration, and trained staff with machinery will be deployed at those points during heavy rains. Saleem also shared that mock exercises will be held in collaboration with Rescue 1122 and other agencies at Leh Nullah and Rawal Dam. WASA Rawalpindi will also set up five monsoon camps across the city that will operate 24/7, and a control room at the head office will monitor the situation and handle complaints. On the revenue side, WASA Rawalpindi recovered Rs1.7 billion last year, exceeding its target of Rs1.57 billion. The target for this year is Rs2.3 billion, and Saleem said he expects to beat that figure as well.
Express Tribune
28-02-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Report on 'controversial' Rs20.4b water contract sought
The Punjab government has recently taken notice of the award of a Rs20.4 billion contract for Lot 2 and Lot 3 of the Chahan Dam Water Supply project to a Turkish company after terminating a partnership with a Pakistani company, seeking a report within a week. Up to 25 million gallons of water have to be provided from Chahan Dam and Rawal Dam to Rawalpindi daily under the Rs33.859b loan funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB). The contract was awarded solely to a Turkish company after terminating the partnership with the Pakistani company. The lack of transparency in the contract award and violation of laws and regulations have prompted the formation of a fact-finding committee, led by the Chairman of the Chief Minister's Inspection Team (CMIT). The committee has begun reviewing the records at WASA Rawalpindi, and a report will be submitted to the Punjab chief minister after a week. The committee, under the leadership of CMIT Chairman Salman Ejaz, and members Ahsan Waheed (Member Four) and Ghulam Abbas Work (Member Engineering), is investigating the record at WASA Rawalpindi regarding the bidding process for the project. The bidding involved a joint venture between the Turkish company, 5H Insaat, and the Pakistani company, Qasim & Co. However, the contract for Lot 2 and Lot 3 was awarded solely to the Turkish company. According to the law, no foreign company is allowed to secure a contract without forming a joint venture with a Pakistani company. Sources say the contract for Lot 2 and Lot 3 was awarded seven months later, after the contracts for Lot 1 and Lot 4 had already been granted. In this context, WASA sought guidelines from the local government. A letter regarding the formation of the fact-finding committee was issued by Sajad Zafar Dal, the Principal Secretary to the Punjab CM. It is worth noting that the contracts for Lot 1 and Lot 4 had already been awarded. The contract for Lot 2, valued at Rs8.3b, and Lot 3, worth Rs12.1b, were granted to the Turkish company 5H Insaat. Work on Lot 1 and Lot 4 is already underway. For Lot 1, the contract for a 12 million-gallon-per-day water treatment plant at Chahan Dam, worth Rs6.36b, was awarded to China Construction Third Engineering Group (Penty V). Meanwhile, for Lot 4, which involves upgrading the filtration plant and pumping machinery at Rawal Dam and Khanpur Dam, as well as rehabilitating the old water lines, the contract worth Rs7.199b was awarded to a joint venture of 5H Insaat and MS Metra Khan BD Ltd. These two contracts are set to be completed within three years. For Lot 2, the contract for the installation of a main pipeline from Chahan Dam to Chak Jalal Din, worth Rs8.3b, and for Lot 3, the contract for laying the distribution network to supply water from Chahan Dam to the city's residents, worth Rs12.1b, have been awarded. The completion of these four contracts will significantly improve the water supply system in six union councils (UCs) along Adiala Road, as well as in the areas of Khayaban-e-Sirsyad and other parts of Rawalpindi city. It is important to note that this project, initiated with a loan of Rs33.859b from the ADB, has appointed Hamza Salik as the Project Director in Lahore and Zeeshan Shaukat Gondal as the Deputy Project Director at WASA Rawalpindi.
