PHA pre-qualifies firms for Greater Iqbal Park project

With four monuments to national heroes and a museum, the PHA aims to educate visitors about the nation’s history

LAHORE:

The Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA) has pre-qualified construction firms for the Greater Iqbal Park project, The Express Trribune has learnt.

PHA Director General Mian Shakeel Ahmad told the Tribune that the firms would be asked to submit their bids once preparation of tender documents was completed. He said the National Engineering Services of Pakistan (NESPAK) had been tasked with preparation of the documents.

The PHA director general said that the project would not just provide an avenue for recreation. He said it would also educate visitors about the country and its history. The project would feature four monuments dedicated to the memory of Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Allama Iqbal, Fatima Jinnah and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan. He said there would also be a museum at the park to educate visitors about Pakistan Movement as well as the history and cultural heritage of the city.

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Besides renovation of the Minar-i-Pakistan grounds (Pakistan Resolution Monument), the project would feature expansion of Iqbal Park by including in it the stretch of Circular Road between the park and Lahore Fort. The Greater Iqbal Park will have an area of 130 acres.

The PHA director general said that they would make sure that provision was made in the design of the park for spacious walkways. The park would also have two food courts which would be designed to represent the culture and heritage of all four provinces and Gilgit-Baltistan. Other attractions include a network of fountains.

The PHA director general said a state-of-the-art irrigation system would be installed in the park for ensure their proper functioning.

For enhanced security at the site, he said an around the clock surveillance apparatus would be put in place at the site. The project plan has provision for three parking lots.

The PHA director general said the area around Iqbal Park was densely populated and included both residential and commercial property. He said the Greater Iqbal Park project there help provide much needed green space in the area.

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About the design of various gardens in the park, the PHA director general said these would be designed on the pattern of gardens commissioned by Mughal emperors. These would feature fountains, elevated pavements, and baradaris.

The budget approved for the project is Rs1.18 billion. The Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) had approved the project in 2013-14 fiscal year and estimated its cost of the construction at Rs403.68 million.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2015.