RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) will construct three more floors in parking plaza in Raja Bazaar to accommodate more than 2,500 vehicles at a time in the plaza.

Talking to Dawn, RDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said the architecture branch had been directed to complete the design of additional floors.

He said a survey would be launched in China Market, Satellite Town and other areas to find more sites for constructing parking plazas.

He said the government wanted to improve the outlook of the city and in the first phase, parking issue would be solved.

The parking plaza had been constructed in Raja Bazaar in 2010. The RDA constructed three floors at the cost of Rs1.5 billion. Originally, the plaza was designed for six stories but it stopped the work after three floors due to shortage of funds.

However, the PTI government ended the parking in the basement to convert it into a shelter home which created traffic mess in the city areas and reducing parking space.

On the other hand, senior RDA official told Dawn that the design of the parking plaza was made by Nespak.

The plaza has eased traffic flow in and around Raja Bazaar and adjoining commercial hub of the city.

The official said the parking plaza had been made earthquake proof and it spreads over an area of four kanals.

The additional three storeys would have the capacity to park at least 1,000 vehicles on daily basis.

RDA Chairman Tariq Mehmood Murtaza said the civic body had made a plan to establish bus terminal on the ground floor.

According to RDA study, more than 60,000 vehicles ply on roads around Fawara Chowk and require parking arrangements for 1,200 vehicles. However, the roadside place accommodates only 200 vehicles.

The RDA chairman said the authority had allocated Rs900 million to build parking plaza in the city in the annual budget 2008-09.

He said the RDA had initiated an internationally recognised project to ease traffic congestion.

Mr Murtaza said traffic engineers were asked to make a plan to convert all roads in Raja Bazaar one way, clear encroachments and create awareness about civic sense among people to ease traffic congestion.

He said only one parking plaza could not solve shortage of parking space in the city.

Published in Dawn, December 19th, 2019