Three ecotourism projects planned

Pre-qualification applications invited for developing Changa Manga, Uchali, Chashma

LAHORE:

The Punjab Wildlife and Parks Department has initiated an ecotourism development programme at Changa Manga, Uchali Lake and Chashma Wetlands.

The initiative, part of an Annual Development Programme (ADP) scheme funded by the provincial government, aims to establish environmentally responsible infrastructure that promotes nature-based tourism, wildlife conservation, and community engagement.

According to official documents, the department has invited applications for pre-qualification from eligible contractors to undertake the development work.

Firms licensed with the Pakistan Engineering Council and holding specific technical certifications are eligible to apply. Foreign companies may participate only in joint ventures with Pakistani firms. A mandatory requirement for all bidders is the engagement of an International ecotourism development specialist, who must remain involved throughout the project.

Applicants are also required to demonstrate significant technical and financial credentials, including prior experience in large-scale infrastructure development, thematic recreational facilities such as safari parks or zoological gardens, and electrification works.

The firms must show an average annual turnover of Rs4.5 billion over the last three years and have access to at least Rs3 billion in working capital or credit facilities. Companies engaged in the supply of wildlife must hold valid certifications from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and the climate change ministry.

This initiative designed in line with Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC) criteria marks the province's first structured push to blend conservation with tourism. Officials from the forests, wildlife and fisheries department emphasised that the sites had been chosen for their ecological importance.