ISLAMABAD, May 30: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has invited interested firms to submit bids for the Margalla Cable Car (MCC) project by June 15, a source in the CDA said.
The source said under the project, the CDA in collaboration with the private sector would set up a cable car system, a revolving restaurant on the hilltop and an amusement park. The authority has offered private firms to execute the project on Built Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis or as a joint venture with the authority.
The source said the PC-I of the project had been approved by the CDA board and a study to look into its environmental impact, financial viability and economic aspects had been conducted.
The study has been conducted by a consultant firm with an estimated cost of Rs0.5 million. "The ride of the cable car would be of 30-minute duration and it will cover a distance of 2.5 kilometre from Children Park, F- 6/2, to Margalla Hills," the source said.
The base station would be established at Children Park at the height of 1,955 feet above sea level, while the height of the peak station is stated to be 3,839 feet above sea level.
The project would be completed within three years. The running cost of the project is stated to be Rs1 million per month.When contacted, an official of the CDA said the directorates concerned had been directed to complete all arrangements for the commissioning of the project soon.
He said it would be a joint venture, as the CDA alone could not meet the expenses of the project. In this connection, private parties and construction firms were being invited to present their own plans for the installation of the cable car.
The source said there were two other proposals for installation of chair lifts between Shakarparian (view point- west) to Rawal Dam and Shakarparian to Lok Virsa. The official said these proposals had been floated some years back but dropped due to security reasons and unsuitable alignment.
He said there was another proposal under which the cable car facility was to be provided between Shakarparian and Rawal Dam but it was also rejected because Islamabad heliport, VVIP route and high tension power supply lines were coming in the path of the cable car.
Earlier, the environment protection agency had opposed the site and suggested that the chairlift should be installed from Shakarparian to Rawal Lake. However, the security agencies did not approve of the proposal and recommended that it should be installed at the Margalla Hills.
