CDA to begin bid evaluation for Islamabad cricket stadium project today
ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is set to hold the first meeting of its bid evaluation committee on Monday for the proposed cricket stadium project in Islamabad, according to an official.
The authority received technical bids last month from two joint ventures for what is being described as the first cricket stadium to be built in the federal capital. Under the project’s PC-I, the estimated cost has been put at Rs12 billion.
The planned stadium is to be constructed at the foothills of the Margalla Hills near Sector D-12. In response to the CDA tender, two joint ventures submitted bids: Habib Construction, ZKB-EA, and a joint venture comprising Lemar Builders and BK Consultants Pvt Ltd.
A CDA officer said, “On Monday, we will hold first meeting of bid evaluation committee. Once this process is completed we will move for financial bids.” He said the project is being pursued under the Engineering Procured and Construction (EPC) model, under which the bidding joint ventures submitted designs along with their technical proposals. In the next stage, they will be asked to submit financial bids.
The CDA has also received bids from two consultant firms, including a Pakistani firm in joint venture with a Turkish company, and Nespak. The authority is expected to make a final decision on the consultant bids after technical scrutiny.
The land identified for the stadium falls in Zone III, where sports and recreational use is allowed, but commercial activity is prohibited. For associated components such as commercial areas and hotel construction, the CDA will need approval from the federal government.
Earlier this year, the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) asked the CDA to provide the layout plan for the proposed stadium. In a letter issued in January, the board said, “With reference to the advertisement issued by CDA inviting e-bids for the construction of cricket stadium near sector D-12 Islamabad, under EPC mode, this office seeks clarification regarding the exact location and layout plan of the proposed project site.”
The IWMB also raised questions about whether the site lies within or overlaps the notified limits of the Margalla Hills National Park. The letter stated, “Whether the proposed site falls within, abuts, or otherwise overlaps the notified boundaries of Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP) or any area falling within 100-meter buffer zone declared as protected area under the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024.”
Referring to Section 14 of the law, the board noted: “An area falling within 100 meters outside the boundary of a National Park or a wildlife sanctuary shall be considered a protected area buffer zone, provided it is state land or acquired for this purpose.” It further said, “Development in buffer zone, including structures, roads, buildings, or any other infrastructure or facility, shall be designed and operated in such manner that disturbance to wildlife in National Park minimized.” Under the law, no development can begin in a buffer zone unless the board issues a no-objection certificate before work starts.
The CDA, in collaboration with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), plans to build the stadium on around 50 acres within a proposed 175-acre Olympic Village in the area. However, it remains unclear whether the CDA, which is providing the land, will also finance the construction of the international-standard venue.
In the past, the PCB had begun work on a stadium in Shakarparian after obtaining land from the CDA and using its own funds, but that project was later scrapped on the directions of the Supreme Court.
According to discussions in recent CDA meetings, the proposed stadium is planned with an open view of the Margalla Hills, seating for around 32,000 spectators, and parking for 10,000 cars about one kilometre away for the general public.