The Lahore Zoo has been privatised, with a contract awarded to a non-public firm for Rs 500 million, overlaying parking, entry tickets, and numerous different providers.
The Punjab Wildlife Division achieved vital success in auctioning the zoo’s providers, surpassing the reserve value of Rs 320 million by Rs 180 million.
The contract consists of managing parking amenities on Mall Highway and Lawrence Highway, entry tickets for numerous sights such because the aquarium, snake home, aviary, and the brand new digital actuality experiences.
The zoo’s entry ticket value is ready at Rs 100, with separate expenses for extra sights such because the snake home (Rs 200), walk-through aviary (Rs 100), and the zoo’s holo-verse expertise (Rs 300).
Director of the undertaking, Mudasir Hassan, expressed satisfaction with the result, crediting the success to the efficient technique carried out by the DG Wildlife and zoo administration committee.
He additional talked about that extra auctions for electrical swings, horse rides, leaping castles, and cafeteria providers would generate additional income for the zoo.
The contractor shall be answerable for sustaining equipment and property, in addition to taking good care of the birds, reptiles, and fish on the zoo. Nonetheless, the zoo administration will proceed to handle the care and feeding of the opposite animals.
The contractor will deploy its employees for ticket counters and parking areas, whereas zoo employees will deal with different operational duties.
The privatisation comes after a serious revamping undertaking initiated by the caretaker authorities in 2023.
The revamp, which price Rs 183 crore, has introduced new animals, birds, and reptiles to the zoo, with some worldwide species nonetheless pending arrival. The undertaking additionally included the set up of a holo-verse digital actuality facility, costing roughly Rs 20 million.
The zoo’s privatization is ready for a three-year time period, with the corporate anticipated to take cost within the first week of January 2025.
The contractor will see a ten% improve within the contract quantity within the second yr.
The zoo is anticipated to draw round 2.8 million guests yearly, with the corporate required to pay the administration 10% of the entry payment for guests past that estimate.
Wildlife authorities have assured that the privatization won’t result in an increase typically entry charges or parking expenses, which stay at Rs 100 every. Nonetheless, new providers launched as a part of the revamp could have separate expenses.