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       ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has raised concerns over Capital Development Authority (CDA)’s procedures for outsourcing solid waste management and the bidding process related to the development of Padel tennis courts.

       According to sources, the minister voiced his reservations during a recent meeting with senior CDA officials. In response, the civic body is now reportedly considering initiating a fresh round of bidding process.

       They said the minster was briefed that international bids were called for outsourcing solid waste management for seven years with an estimated cost of Rs28 billion. Under this project, the successful bidder will collect garbage and will do cleanliness work across Islamabad.

       However, sources said, the minister stated that Pakistani companies should have been provided a chance to participate in the bidding process without any joint ventures with international bidders.

       Expresses reservations over bidding process for development of Padel tennis courts

       In response to the CDA’s tender, four international companies with the joint venture of local companies have submitted their technical and financial bids. CDA officials said technical bids had been opened and currently their evaluation was underway. They said in the next stage, financial bids will be opened.

       The CDA has been collecting garbage through its own staff and transporting it to the I-9 waste station before shifting it to Losar in Rawalpindi. In Losar, the CDA is also planning to construct its own landfill site, and recently the civic agency’s board also approved the project.

       On December 30, the CDA sought bids from national and international companies for the primary and secondary collection of solid waste and its onward transportation to the landfill fill site in Rawalpindi.

       Until recently, there were separate contracts for city and rural areas. However, both contracts expired a few months ago and now the civic agency wants to have a dedicated company for all of Islamabad.

       Currently, the CDA spends over Rs3 billion annually on sanitation services but the results are not satisfactory, particularly in rural areas, where there is no proper collection of garbage.

       In the absence of a waste disposal system in rural areas, residents throw garbage in open areas and nullahs. The new company will be responsible for cleanliness and garbage collection from the entire city.

       Padel tennis courts

       The CDA recently floated tenders to outsource five Padel tennis courts under a revenue-sharing formula in various areas of Islamabad, including G-5, F-8, and F-9 Park. The successful bidder was supposed to share a fixed amount per month.

       Sources said the minster asked about the CDA’s mechanism to keep checks on revenue generated by the private firms. He directed the CDA that instead of going for revenue generation, it should go for open tendering to get a fixed maximum monthly rent.

       “We are in the process of cancellation of bids on revenue sharing basis and the minster rightly pointed out that there were chances of fraud in revenue sharing basis. Now, instead of revenue sharing, we will go for fix amount and hopefully we will receive good offers of monthly fix rent,” said a CDA official.

       Padel tennis is an emerging sport in Islamabad. This game is a combination of tennis and squash and its court is about three-quarters of the size of a tennis court.

       Published in Dawn, June 3rd, 2025