LAHORE: Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) Chairman Lieutenant General (retd) Muhammad Saeed has ordered a departmental inquiry into the tunnel accident at the Tarbela fifth extension hydropower project.
The chairman issued the directives during a visit to the project to review the situation following the incident. He also chaired a meeting at the project office, where consultants, contractors and Wapda teams briefed him on the developments.
The meeting was informed that there was no threat to the structural integrity of the main Tarbela Dam or any of its structures.
Participants discussed the possible causes of the incident, precautionary measures and a strategy to address the situation. Immediate response measures were also finalised.
During his visit, the chairman inspected the project’s intake structure, tunnel, powerhouse and other key sites. He directed the relevant teams to examine all aspects of the incident and submit a detailed report at the earliest.
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Ministry of Water Resources said Wapda had been asked to provide a comprehensive report on the incident. According to sources, the inquiry is expected to be completed within a week, with experts from outside Wapda also being included in the investigation. Responsibility will be determined and the report submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, the sources added.
A day earlier, water entered a tunnel and the powerhouse at the construction site of the Tarbela Fifth Extension Hydropower Project (T-5) after a weak section of rock fell during excavation.
Wapda said all workers had been safely evacuated following the incident. According to the authority’s spokesperson, the rockfall occurred during excavation of the second bench of the connecting tunnel, allowing water to flow from the intake pit into the tunnel and powerhouse.
The spokesperson said water had been completely drained from the intake pit and dewatering of the under-construction powerhouse had begun. No further water was entering the downstream work areas, the spokesperson added.
