FAISALABAD: The district government has finally submitted a plan to construct parking plazas at three sites in and around Clock Tower bazaars to address the issues of parking being faced by traders as well as customers who visit the area.

The project envisaging parking facilities for eight bazaars -- Kutchery Bazaar, Rail Bazaar, Kharkhana Bazaar, Montgomery Bazaar, Jhang Bazaar, Bhawana, Aminpur Bazaar and Chiniot Bazaar -- will cost the government about Rs4 billion.

The provincial government has been apprised by District Coordination Officer Noorul Ameen Mengal that the old city centre had eight major bases having about 25,000 shops spread over 0.45 square kilometre.

Former commissioner Tahir Husain Shah had taken up the parking plazas issues with the Punjab government in 2010. The traders had been struggling for the facility for years.

Agreeing to a district government’s briefing, Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif had given the task of preparing the project’s feasibility report to the administration in July, 2010.

The Punjab government had been informed that daily turnover of vehicles in the area was 30,000 motorcycles and more than 10,000 cars. More than 100,000 people visit Clock Tower bazaars daily for shopping. The unplanned parking also poses a security risk to the customers as well as traders.

The sites selected for the parking plazas, include Zail Ghar (Kutchery Bazaar), Old Mayor House (outside the Aminpur Bazaar) and Old Corporation Office (outside the Kharkhana and Montgomery bazaars).

According to the plan these plazas will also have shops, with a total parking capacity of 3,267 cars and 6,161 motorcycles and the estimated construction cost will be Rs3,204 million, besides consultancy cost of Rs17.9 million.

The district government has proposed nine stories for the plaza to be built at Old Mayor House with 276 shops, and having a parking capacity of 1,002 cars and 1,736 motorcycles. The Old Corporation Office will be converted into an eight-storey plaza with 676 shops, having parking facility for 2,124 cars and 3,033 bikes.

Similarly, six stories will be constructed at the Zail Ghar plaza with 84 shops, having parking capacity of 38 cars and 1,575 motorcycles.

Farhanullah, a Chiniot Bazaar trader, said establishment of parking plazas would benefit the business in the area where earlier customers felt reluctant to visit because of parking issues.

The DCO told Dawn the Punjab government had initiated work on the district government’s proposal, hoping approval for the construction would be accorded within weeks.

He said immediately after the approval the district administration would begin work on the project to mitigate parking issues in Clock Tower bazaars.

Published in Dawn, January 31st, 2015

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