ISLAMABAD - The city managers, this time, are optimistic about successful completion of Phase-II of the remodelling of Marghazar Zoo - an idea that was conceived in year 2007 but delayed for one reason or the other - as 11 firms have submitted documents of interest with the Capital Development Authority for the execution of Rs 140 million project.

Under phase-II of the remodelling of Zoo, six new enclosures to house animals including black bear, brown bear, lion, leopard and nilgai would be constructed with an estimated cost of Rs140 million.
It was not the first time that Authority has been undertaking the process of pre-qualification of firms to execute the phase-II of the five-phased Zoo remodelling project, as same exercise was conducted by CDA back in year 2008 and than in year 2009.
Even in year 2009 CDA has announced the successful firm that had filed the lowest bid for the project but owing to paucity of funds work on phase-II was never started.
Recently CDA has sought opinion of the concerned officials of Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) that if the Authority could award the project to firm that was announced successful in year 2009.
“PPRA has directed us to re-publish the expression of interest advertisement.
We did so in past month. As many as 15 firms have collected the documents from CDA in this regard and 11 of them have submitted it with the Authority till May 5, the last date for submission of documents,” said a concerned official.
The result of pre-qualified firms would be announced within a week or two, he added.
Work on worth Rs1.4 billion project of the Marghazar Zoo remodelling was started back in 2007 and the project was approved by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) in 2008.
At present the zoo covers an area of approximately 25 acres and under the remodelling project, the zoo would be extended to 80 acres.
The remodelling project was divided into five phases. Phase-I of the project was completed in 2008 with a cost of Rs19.38 million and two new cages were constructed under phase-I.
Under remodelling project some 70 animal cages would be constructed in addition to exiting one’s. 
Under the project an animal hospital, kitchen, mountains, a desert, plains, wetlands, a snake house, an aviary and some exotic spots were supposed to be constructed within a period of one year after the inception of this plan in year 2007.
But since four years have been lapsed and only 5 percent of the work has been done by CDA.