Islamabad Cricket Stadium: CDA Begins Bid Assessment.

 

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is scheduled to convene a bid evaluation session today regarding the construction of Islamabad’s inaugural cricket stadium. Last month, the CDA acquired technical proposals from two joint ventures for this major undertaking, which carries an estimated price tag of Rs. 12 billion according to the sanctioned PC-I. The facility is envisioned near Sector D-12, situated at the base of the Margalla Hills. Per the tendering records, only two consortiums entered the race: Habib Construction Services with ZKB-EA, and a second partnership consisting of Lemar Builders and BK Consultants Pvt Ltd.

A CDA representative stated that the evaluation committee will initiate its first meeting on Monday, moving toward the financial bidding phase once the technical assessment is finalized. The venture is being executed via the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) framework. This model required the participating firms to submit their architectural designs alongside technical bids; financial offers will be requested following this stage. In a separate development, the CDA has received consultancy bids from two entities, including a local firm partnered with a Turkish company, and NESPAK. Authorities noted that a final selection for consultancy services will also follow a technical vetting process.

The designated plot is located within Zone III, an area permitting sports and leisure but forbidding commercial enterprise. Consequently, the CDA might require federal cabinet authorization for auxiliary components like hospitality facilities or retail spaces integrated into the project. The development has sparked interest from the Islamabad Wildlife Management Board, which requested the CDA provide the precise layout of the stadium site earlier this year.

In a formal correspondence issued in January, the board inquired whether the site encroaches upon the Margalla Hills National Park boundaries or the 100-meter protected buffer zone established by the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024. Under this legislation, construction within the buffer zone is prohibited unless a No-Objection Certificate (NOC) is secured from the wildlife board prior to the start of work. The CDA, partnering with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), intends to erect the stadium on approximately 50 acres within a planned 175-acre Olympic Village. It remains to be seen if the CDA will solely provide the land or also share the financial burden of construction. A previous effort to construct a stadium at Shakarparian was ultimately terminated by the Supreme Court, even though the PCB had already commenced work on land allocated by the CDA. Based on recent CDA deliberations, the proposed arena will feature an unobstructed view of the Margalla Hills, a seating capacity of 32,000, and a public parking area for 10,000 cars situated roughly one kilometer from the main gates.