DHA Bahawalpur

Promag was engaged on this project when the Authority was in its early formation stage and the general location of an eventual project was being finalized. Land acquisition within the notified area was also being initiated simultaneously. Several challenges were addressed by Promag’s advisory team at the time. These included;

• Identifying and planning a socioeconomically diverse product placement. Planning for a diverse socio-economic spectrum of population featuring a product range from affordable housing to high-income luxury products, such as the Golf Community, in one self-contained development.
• Identifying and planning a socioeconomically diverse product placement. Planning for a diverse socio-economic spectrum of population featuring a product range from affordable housing to high-income luxury products, such as the Golf Community, in one self-contained development.
• Absence of a consolidated land parcel – Resulting in a segmented implementation plan which had to eventually evolve as a single self-contained integrated development.
• Evolving a flexible project development program due to the unpredictable evolution of procured land within the earmarked boundaries.
• A Welfare Component had to be accommodated within the project’s financial plan.
• Advice on the new Authority’s operational costs, capacity building and growth requirements.
• Determination of a minimum project size – to achieve viability and delivery goals.
• Setting up planning density standards to achieve a balance between quality of lifestyle and corresponding loss of inventory.
• Setting up sustainability goals.
• Determining Development Charge Rate and its recovery schedule from the buyers in order to ensure a budget for achieving appropriate quality standards as well as its realization consistent with the planned cash flows.
• Evolving a staged development strategy to address both the land acquisition issues as well as premature deterioration of infrastructure due to gradual habitation of such a scale.
• Preparing a development strategy to manage investor perception and confidence.
• Establishing early livability status through Priority Projects – Identifying and planning priority development projects (such as Destination Projects, 50-Acre gated Villa Community and Amusement Parks) to achieve early livability goals and bolster buyer confidence.
• Inventory Release & Cash Flow Mobilization Plan – Determining the schedule for inventory release to achieve development cash flow requirements.
• Identifying ideal contract sizes in terms of discipline and value, based on markets resource capacity.
• Management of Multiple Multidisciplinary Contracts – in different sectors which were separated due to absence of a consolidated land parcel. Integration of infrastructure development works to result in a composite development.

All these aspects and issues were addressed and a basic masterplan along with its technical and financial parameters was prepared to create a base plan for the implementation of the project. Other specific challenges related to the project and its implementation included the following;

• Extensive Multidisciplinary Design Management & Coordination during the various development phases. This was accentuated due to segmental nature of the implementation plan.
• Site topography – rolling terrain with sand dunes forming frequent high peaks and deep depressions. Earth Grading strategies adopted to maintain the general terrain and continuity of the gradients.
• Gravity-based Stormwater Drainage & Sewerage Networks – Natural presence of a high ridge at the center of the project used for creating a natural gravity-based system for water supply and drainage networks.
• Recharging of aquifers through Retention Basins/Lagoons – Temporary Retention Basins were provided in certain parks to cater for Stormwater Disposal. With relatively flat and arid land, stormwater collection recharged the aquifer and prevented deep sloping drains.
• Stormwater Management during construction – Temporary drainage facilities developed to protect and secure completed infrastructure works.  Earthen ponds developed to secure earthen embankments for roads.
• Temporary sewage treatment facility – designed to treat sewage and to protect the environment during construction. Septic Tanks and Soak Pits provided for temporary disposal
• Landscape Irrigation – Water Demand for Landscape Irrigation ~ 5 MGD – Treated Sewage Effluent process planned to meet this demand.
• Bridge Engineering Works – undertaken to provide vital access points to the development across the canal.