CDA plans Rs2bn project to reforest Margalla Hills

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has laid out plans for a significant project aimed at enriching biodiversity and expanding the green cover in Margalla Hills. The project entails planting 10 million trees in the park, with an estimated cost exceeding Rs2 billion.

A PC-1 has been prepared by the CDA for this initiative, outlining a budget of Rs2,158.614 million. The authority is now in the process of submitting the PC-1 to the federal government to secure funding for the upcoming fiscal year 2024-25 under the public sector development programme.

Islamabad, sprawling over an area of 908 square kilometers, includes Margalla Hills and 32 acquired villages within its boundaries. These areas, totaling 39,000 acres of land, were designated as a national park back in the 1980s.

The Margalla Hills National Park is situated on the northern periphery of Islamabad, extending into the southern region of Haripur district in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Encompassing an area of 15,782.74 hectares (39,000 acres), the park holds significant ecological value for the region.