TANK, Nov 18: The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has expressed optimism that work on multi-dimensional Gomal Zam Dam (GZD) will be completed by the end of next year as 97 per cent work on it has been completed.

A spokesman of the FWO Col Atif, while talking to journalists at the site of the dam in South Waziristan Agency, said 97 per cent work of the dam and its powerhouse had been completed and hoped to finish the remaining work by the end of 2013.

Also, he said construction work on its irrigation system and other co-related projects was in progress and would be completed soon. He said all the work had successfully been carried out since the contract was re-awarded to FWO, adding the dam's switch yard, which was completely destroyed by the 2010 devastating flood, was got completed last year due to untiring and determined efforts by the staff.

The FWO spokesman while elaborating on the main features of the dam said the dam’s height was 436 feet and length 492 feet, with 1.14MAF gross water storage and 0.892MAF live storage capacities, besides installed capacity of 17.4 megawatt.

The laying of 132KV transmission line from Gomal Zam Dam would help enable the upgradation of Wana grid station from 66KV to 132KV, the FWO official said. He added the 63 kilometer long concrete-lined canal with an average discharge capacity of 848 cusecs and 18 distribution points having 204KM length was being completed.

He said the traditional irrigation system was also kept in view during the construction, as a barrage at Cot Murtaza would be a part of the project with a length of 460 feet.

He said that it was a multipurpose scheme with no adverse impacts besides having the major benefit of controlling floods in future.—APP