CDA has started bid evaluation for Islamabad’s first cricket stadium near D-12, with a Rs. 12 billion plan, EPC model, and legal questions over the Margalla Hills site.
Key Takeaways
- CDA has opened the technical bid evaluation stage for Islamabad’s first cricket stadium project.
- The proposed venue near D-12 is estimated to cost Rs. 12 billion under the approved PC-I.
- Two joint ventures have submitted bids under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction model.
- The site may require extra approvals because of wildlife, buffer-zone and commercial-use concerns.
- If completed, the stadium is expected to seat around 32,000 spectators with large off-site parking.
Why the bid evaluation matters
The Capital Development Authority has moved an important step closer to building Islamabad’s first major cricket stadium. The authority is holding a bid evaluation meeting for the project after receiving technical proposals from two joint ventures. This stage matters because it will determine which bidders qualify to move forward to the financial review and contract decision phase.
For Islamabad, the project is more than a sports venue. It represents a long-discussed attempt to give the federal capital a proper international-standard cricket facility of its own. If the evaluation process moves smoothly, the project could shift from planning to execution after years of debate and uncertainty.
Project cost, location and bidding model
According to the approved PC-I, the proposed stadium is estimated to cost around Rs. 12 billion. The planned site is near Sector D-12 at the foothills of the Margalla Hills, an area that gives the project a scenic profile but also raises planning and environmental questions.
CDA is processing the scheme under the Engineering, Procurement and Construction model. Under this structure, bidders submit designs along with technical proposals before being invited to provide financial bids. Two joint ventures have entered the race: Habib Construction with ZKB-EA, and Lemar Builders with BK Consultants Pvt Ltd. Separate consultant bids have also been received, including one involving a Turkish partnership and another from NESPAK.
Legal and environmental questions remain
Even though the project has momentum, it still faces sensitive legal and regulatory issues. Officials say the proposed site falls in Zone III, where sports and recreational activity is allowed, but commercial use is restricted. That could affect future plans for hotel space or other revenue-linked facilities connected to the stadium complex.
The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board has already sought clarity on whether the land overlaps with the notified boundaries of Margalla Hills National Park or the 100-meter protected buffer zone under the Islamabad Nature Conservation and Wildlife Management Act, 2024. If any part of the project falls inside that protected area, development cannot begin without a formal no-objection certificate. These issues could shape the pace and final structure of the project.
What the stadium could look like
CDA and the Pakistan Cricket Board are said to be planning the stadium on roughly 50 acres within a wider 175-acre Olympic Village concept. Recent discussions suggest the venue could provide an open view of the Margalla Hills, seating for about 32,000 people, and parking space for around 10,000 vehicles at a location about one kilometer away for the general public.
However, some major details are still not fully clear. It has not been publicly settled whether CDA will only provide land or also share the construction cost. There is also a reminder from the past: an earlier attempt to build a stadium at Shakarparian was scrapped after Supreme Court intervention. That history means this project will likely remain under close public and institutional scrutiny as it moves through evaluation and approval stages.
