The government has approved the purchase of a new helicopter worth around Rs5 billion for the Diamer-Bhasha Dam project, citing security and operational requirements.
Image: ProPakistani
According to official sources, the approval was granted as part of a revised project proposal worth Rs485 billion cleared by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP). The proposal has now been forwarded to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.
Officials said the helicopter would be used to support security arrangements and operational activities linked to the mega hydropower and water reservoir project located in a remote mountainous region.
During the meeting, concerns were also raised over repeated delays in revising and updating the project’s cost estimates. Authorities noted that prolonged delays had significantly increased the overall financial burden of the dam project.
The Diamer-Bhasha Dam is considered one of Pakistan’s key infrastructure projects aimed at improving water storage capacity, electricity generation, and flood control. However, the project has faced multiple delays over the years due to financial, administrative, and logistical challenges.
