Private company takes over Lahore zoo management in Rs. 500 million contract

LAHORE: In a groundbreaking move, the Lahore Zoo administration has been transferred to a private company with Rs. 500 million contract to run many services, such as parking, ticketing, and attractions for the next three years.

For such a significant amount, this contract exceeds the reserve price of Rs. 320 million by Rs. 180 million. This indicates that much interest surrounds the revival of this zoo and its services.

Under the contract, the contractor will manage ticketing counters, parking lots, and other attractions like the aquarium, snake house, aviary, and the extremely innovative 20 million-Rs holo-verse virtual reality experience.

Visitors will continue to enjoy the zoo at a very affordable price of Rs. 100 entry tickets, with extra charges for attractions such as Rs. 200 for the snake house and Rs. 300 for the Holoverse experience.

Most animals will still be managed by the zoo staff, while the contractor will take care of birds, reptiles, and fish. This distribution of roles means that the welfare of animals with care done by zoo authorities will remain a priority.

The committee has decided to conduct competitive tenders to further enhance revenue from swings, rides, and cafeteria operations. Director Mudassir Hassan lauds the efforts of the DG Wildlife and Zoo Management Committee for planning this privatization effectively.

A new revamp of the zoo in 2023 costing Rs. 183 crore introduced new species and attractions such as an Rs. 20 million state-of-the-art holo-verse facility. Such engagements have very well improved the overall experience for such families and wildlife enthusiasts at the Lahore Zoo.

Finally, the contractor agreed on a 10% increase of the contract amount in the second year, and the contractor will be eligible to share 10% of the revenues from entry tickets if the annual number crosses 2.8 million. However, the authorities have assured them that there will be no changes announced for entry and parking fees of common members, easing some patron concerns.