Safari zoo e-ticketing to be outsourced to private firm

The Punjab Wildlife Department has decided to outsource e-ticketing sales for various facilities at Lahore Safari Zoo, including parking and general area entry, to a private company.

The e-ticketing contract will be awarded through open auction on August 6.

The private company will also be responsible for the maintenance and repair of electric vehicles and vehicles used in the lion and tiger safari.

The documents of the companies participating in the auction will be scrutinised on July 29. The successful company will have to deposit Rs1.6 million as security deposit. The reserve price of the e-ticketing contract auction has been set at Rs80 million.

Punjab Wildlife DG Mudassar Riaz said the successful company charge the ticket according to the rate fixed by the department, it will not have the authority to increase the price itself.

The contract will be extendable for one year.

The official said the target of the department is to give the contract for over five times the current revenue. This will not only increase the revenue of the safari park but also prevent corruption regarding the tickets. The selected company will depute its staff, which can meet the shortage of staff in the park. The wildlife staff currently deployed at the parking lot, entry gate, electric vehicles, lion and tiger safari and aquarium will take care of and welfare of the animals and birds, he added.