On Saturday, Minister Ahsan Iqbal revealed during a meeting to address the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project’s failure that the project’s initial report was inadequate. The report, costing Rs100 million, outlined generic reasons for the tunnel collapse that were readily available via the AI tool ChatGPT.
The project, costing Rs500 billion, faced a critical decision: either rebuild the tunnel for Rs250 billion to Rs300 billion or repair it for Rs20 billion. However, officials warned that repairs might not last beyond six years.
Minister Iqbal, following directives from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, emphasized accountability for the project’s failure, which was rushed to gain political favour and ignored engineering guidelines.
During the meeting, Iqbal discovered the report’s contents were accessible on ChatGPT, challenging the experts’ unique contributions. He critiqued the expensive investigation for providing information freely available online.
Read: Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Plant Shuts Down for Safety Inspection
Despite differing opinions within the cabinet about fixing responsibility, the planning ministry announced the engagement of an International Panel of Experts to investigate further and identify structural issues. They recommended focusing on the tunnel’s vulnerable areas and improving safety measures.
Minister Iqbal did not approve the proposal to rebuild or repair the tunnel. He requested an independent validation of these options and declined Wapda’s request for blanket authorization to conduct civil works without adequate documentation.
A detailed action plan was advised, and collaboration among departments and independent experts was encouraged. A follow-up meeting to refine the rehabilitation strategies is scheduled for next week.
The project has been problematic. Previous consultants highlighted significant geological faults and recommended preventive measures that were not implemented, leading to further complications and the eventual shutdown of the project.
