LAHORE: The Traffic Engineering and Transport Planning Agency (Tepa) is set to start executing the Neela Gumbad Parking Plaza project next month as various preparatory works are underway these days.

The project -- envisaged by the Lahore Authority for Heritage Revival (LAHR) and later handed over to Tepa (LDA) for execution -- aims at constructing a major underground four-storey parking plaza spanning over 16-kanal land.

“The first storey from bottom to top will have shops that will be allotted to those whose shops are currently being acquired for this project. The three floors will be dedicated for parking of 374 cars and 790 motorcycles, making this congested business area free of parking issues,” said Iqrar Hussain, Tepa chief engineering, while giving a briefing to LDA DG Tahir Farooq in a meeting here on Saturday.

The plaza will be equipped with efficient parking management system, fire fighting, CCTV, washrooms etc. Moreover, the affected shopkeepers will also be given one-year business loss compensation. He said the parking plazas would also be constructed at Nasser Bagh and near the existing Tollinton market.

Speaking on the occasion, the LDA DG directed the Tepa administration to quickly complete the bidding process so as to move forward for construction next month. “There should be no compromise over the quality while executing this project. Moreover, the project should be completed within the stipulated time frame,” the DG said.

Published in Dawn, August 24th, 2025