ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has been executing a project worth Rs652 million for the upgradation and expansion of the CDA nursery along Park Road.
Sources said that the project was started a couple of months ago, and a Lahore-based private contractor has been carrying out work on this mega project, allegedly without open tendering. When asked if the project followed proper procedure, the CDA’s spokesperson office in a written reply stated: “CDA is undertaking upgradation and uplifting work at its nursery on Park Road as a part of a collaborative partnership with the Baku team (Government of Azerbaijan’s sister city initiative).”
This cooperation is also formalised under a bilateral memorandum of understanding (MoU), which facilitates joint efforts for beautification, infrastructure uplift, and sustainable development of Islamabad. The other notable projects of this partnership include the revitalisation of the Melody Food Street, preservation and modernisation of Saidpur Village, and the beautification of Srinagar Highway, the CDA’s reply said and added the project is on going with support of Baku team.
The CDA further stated that the CDA and Baku teams are jointly working to transform the nursery into a “Gardenia Hub” with the aim of converting the existing nursery into a model nursery, to enable government departments, private sector and citizens of Islamabad to purchase plants and trees from the CDA nursery at cheaper rates.
Insiders claim project awarded without due procedure; CDA defends it as ‘collaborative partnership’ with Baku team
It is relevant to note here, Baku, through its own funding and teams, had been executing beautification work in Islamabad worth billions of rupees. They directly engaged contractors and the CDA provided them with logistics support only. Earlier, it was announced that they would carry out beautification work along Srinagar Highway, Melody Market and Saidpur Village; however, now the CDA, in its reply, stated the Baku team was carrying out upgradation work at the nursery.
On January 29, the CDA Development Working Party (CDA-DWP) also approved PC-I for the nursery project worth Rs652 million. As per previous practice, the projects approved by DWP have been executed by the CDA through its own funding and for all such projects, the civic agency has opted for a competitive process.
“If this project is being executed by Baku with their own funding, then CDA’s point of view is justified as no funding of CDA is involved. However, if CDA funding is involved, then CDA can’t skip the competitive process,” said an official. Sources, however, said that CDA’s environment wing had floated tenders worth Rs40 million for horticulture work etc.
Meanwhile, a press release issued by CDA on Wednesday stated that Chairman Muhammad Ali Randhawa paid a surprise visit to the CDA Nursery and reviewed the progress on the upgradation, rehabilitation and transformation of the CDA Nursery into a ‘Gardenia Hub’.
The press release said that officials briefed the chairman that the CDA nursery, spanning 50 acres, was being developed at a cost of Rs652.819 million.
The CDA chief stated that the Gardenia Hub project will be considered a major centre for horticulture in the future. He said that under this project, work on constructing modern and beautiful flower shops, along with a cafe, would begin soon.
Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2025
