ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) board on Monday decided to reclaim the Islamabad zoo from the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB), restore three old toll plazas and build two more on the entry points of the federal capital, and amend the master plan to accommodate the ‘Kharian-Rawalpindi’ motorway.

After the decision of the board, the civic agency officials will approach the federal government with a request to take back the administrative control of the now-closed zoo. Similarly, the amendment to the master plan and a project to set up a housing scheme through a private contractor will be shared with the federal government. These decisions will be placed before the federal cabinet for approval.

During the meeting of the board chaired by Chairman Anwarul Haq at CDA Headquarters, the board recommended the development of Kuri Enclave – a housing scheme on 10,000 kanal – through the public-private partnership.

The board discussed the zoo in detail and it was briefed that the zoo had been closed to the public for the last three years. It was informed that the CDA wanted to set up a zoo of ‘international standards’ for “education and information” purposes. The board was informed that the IWMB had failed to make use of the facility. The board approved the proposal and asked the officials concerned to approach the federal government with their request.

l Board approves restoration of three toll plazas, two more to be built l Kuri Enclave, master plan amendment for Kharian-Rawalpindi Motorway approved

It is relevant to note here the IWMB has been stating that in light of the judgement of the Islamabad High Court, the facility cannot be used to house a zoo. The CDA, however, says that the court did not bar the setting up of a zoo as per international standards.

Kharian-Rawalpindi motorway

Accordingly, the board was informed that for the said motorway, an amendment in the master plan was required since at least two-kilometre of the capital area fell in the alignment of this road while an interchange near GT Road, Rawat – the culmination point of the road – will also be built.

The board gave the go-ahead and directed the civic agency to refer this matter to the federal government and also issue an NOC [no objection certificate] to the National Highway Authority (NHA) for executing this project.

Toll plazas

Officials said that the board also approved the restoration of three old toll plazas – one each on Srinagar Highway, Karnal Sher Khan Road (formerly I.J.P Road) and the Islamabad Expressway. Besides their restoration, the administration will also set up one toll booth each on the newly-built Margalla Avenue and Pir Sohawa Road – the border of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Islamabad. The meeting also decided that the toll plazas would be constructed and operated by government-owned contractors on the ‘Built Operate, and Transfer’ (BOT) basis.

Meanwhile, the board also approved a summary of the environment wing of the civic agency for the outsourcing and leasing out of the facilitation like electric carts or trains, horse buggies and street food hub at Lake View Park Phase II and an open auction of the F9 Park festival square. The meeting also approved the construction of a metro bus depot near Zero Point. It also decided that the land records would be digitised only by a government firm.

Sources said that the board also approved the formation of a management committee headed by CDA’s Member Technology and Digitisation Nauman Khalid for the operations of the Gandhara Heritage & Culture Centre and the Ghandhra Auditorium.

CDA’s spokesperson Nauman Khalid confirmed that the board took “important decisions” during its meeting. To a query about the zoo, he said that the board decided that the matter should be referred to the federal government.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2024