RAWALPINDI: The Dream Project, a flagship water supply initiative launched with Rs33.95 billion in loan funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), was envisioned to supply 17 million gallons of water per day to Rawalpindi residents. However, years after its launch, the Dream Project now faces chronic delays, turning what was once a symbol of progress into a tale of stalled ambitions.
Dream Project continues to suffer from leadership instability, with no permanent Deputy Project Director (CIT) appointed to date.
Two Deputy Managing Directors (DMDs) have already been relieved of their duties, and the Project Director has been replaced once. Currently, WASA Managing Director Muhammad Saleem Ashraf has been given the additional charge of DMD — for the third time.
Compounding the Dream Project’s woes, contracts for Lots 2 and 3, collectively worth Rs20.4 billion, have been stuck in legal and procedural disputes for nearly two years. Meanwhile, work on Lots 1 and 4 continues without interruption.
According to official sources, the Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) confirmed serious procedural violations in the awarding of contracts for Lots 2 and 3. This revelation came after Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz intervened over allegations that the contracts were granted solely to a foreign firm, excluding a local partner. Following the CMIT inquiry, the steering committee of the Dream Project cancelled these contracts. The matter is now under arbitration by the Secretary of Housing and remains sub judice.
The disputed lots connected to Chahan Dam were expected to supply 12 million gallons per day to the city. With these contracts suspended and no resolution in sight, the Dream Project now faces escalating costs and rising interest on the ADB loan.
In contrast, work continues on Lot 1 (Rs6.36b) and Lot 4 (Rs7.19b), designed to channel 5 million gallons daily from Rawal Dam. The four-lot scheme, valued at Rs33.95 billion, was originally slated for completion by December 2027. Yet insiders now admit that timely completion of the Dream Project appears increasingly unlikely.
Dream Project: Officials have also confirmed that Lots 2 and 3 — the project’s main operational components — have seen no physical progress for over two years, placing the future in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, Punjab has expanded the number of Water and Sanitation Agencies (WASAs) from five to sixteen, establishing a new provincial-level WASA Authority under Director General Tayyab Farid.
In Rawalpindi, Zeeshan Gondal was initially appointed as Deputy Project Director for the Dream Project, but both he and Project Director Hamza Salik were removed amid contract disputes. Umar Javed was later appointed Project Director, while Muhammad Hasnain briefly held the DMD position before it was reassigned again to MD WASA Muhammad Saleem Ashraf — the third such reshuffle in the Dream Project’s management.
As Rawalpindi faces rapid groundwater depletion, frequent tube well failures, and a rising urban water demand, the Dream Water Supply Project remains the only long-term sustainable solution to the city’s worsening water crisis. Yet, amid bureaucratic gridlock and contract uncertainty, the Dream Project’s future remains deeply uncertain.
When contacted, Punjab WASA Authority Director General Tayyab Farid emphasized that the Dream Project is of strategic importance for the province. He added that a panel of candidates has been forwarded to the provincial government for the appointment of a full-time Deputy Project Director (CIT) to ensure strong oversight and timely execution.
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