DHA doubles entry fee for Zamzama Park

[Naveed Yaseen]

The Defence Housing Authority (DHA) has doubled the entry fee for adults for its Zamzama Park in DHA Phase-V with the aim to further develop the park.

DHA Director Horticulture Colonel (retired) Shahid Majeed told The News that the entry fee for adults in Zamzama Park had been doubled while for children the entry ticket is still Rs5. The park administration has been receiving Rs10 as entry fee for adults since July 01, said the DHA official.

Though the DHA director horticulture believed that the 100 per cent entry-fee hike would not be a burden on the pockets of the high-end DHA citizens but the very park, sprawling on 26-acre land, is also used by commoners of the surrounding localities of lower socio-economic stratum.

“Five rupee increase does not sound much but it is a burden for those visitors who often come to the park perhaps once in a week with their entire families,” maintains a frequent walker. “This might prevent them enjoying this beautiful park making it exclusively available to those who can pay.”

The DHA director horticulture further said that the authority first thought to increase the entry fee to Rs 7 but for convenience of both the park’s staff and visitors a round figure of Rs10 had been introduced.

He said the entry fee for rest of the parks managed by the DHA in the area had not been increased. In all the DHA’s Horticulture department manages two main parks, four medium parks, six small parks and other beautification spots in the Defence area.

He said that facilities of bowling alley, mini golf course, would be created in the Zamzama Park while condition of canteen/cafeteria and water coolers there would also be improved.

Colonel Majeed said that after financial position of the DHA deteriorated, it had been decided that the parks’ resources would be raised and will be in a position to meet the expenses on managing and running the parks. The expenses have also increased due to rising electricity charges.

The DHA has also decided to gradually handover its parks and greenbelts in the developed phases of the area (Phase I to Phase VII) to Cantonment Board Clifton, while the authority’s horticulture department would focus its efforts on developing, plantation and greenery of the still under-developed Phase-VIII of the DHA.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=188215