RAWALPINDI: The Commercial Market’s parking area measuring eight kanals has become a no-go area for visitors who are forced to park their vehicles on main roads.

Last year, the Rawalpindi Metropolitan Corporation (RMC) converted an amusement park in the market at Satellite Town into the parking space.

But now the parking space is not being used and the administration is asking the visitors to park their vehicles on main roads. The visitors and traders have demanded that the local administration should open the space for parking.

The RMC converted the amusement park named ‘Bachon ki Dunya’ into a parking lot. The park was earning Rs425,000 per month from contractors who had installed swings there.

The RMC had planned to charge visitors for parking of their vehicles in the space. But former mayor Sardar Naseem made it a free parking space for the visitors. However, after the end of his tenure in December 2021, the RMC closed the parking space.

A senior official of the RMC told Dawn: “We are working to use the land to facilitate the visitors and shopkeepers of the main market.”

He said there was also a plan to use roadsides around Commercial Market for parking and for the first time electronic parking system would be introduced there.

“The visitors will be given e-tickets which will also end the chances of car theft from the parking area,” he said.

However, he added that the change of the local government was the main reason behind the postponement of the plan. He said some civic body officials wanted to impose a parking fee due to which the project was still incomplete.

On Sunday, Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal, who is also the administrator of RMC, took notice of the issue and asked the RMC to open the parking space for the public as soon as possible.

Talking to Dawn, Mr Mengal said he would ensure the parking area is open for the visitors.

“Free of cost parking facility will be provided to the visitors and a squad will be deployed to provide them a secure environment,” he said.

He said the CCTV cameras would also be installed in the parking area. Apart from this, the administration also plans to construct two parking plazas in the city to overcome the shortage of parking space.

He said the government wanted to improve business opportunities and parking plazas will be constructed in Raja Bazaar and other commercial areas.

Published in Dawn, July 18th, 2022