RAWALPINDI: After converting Raja Bazaar from Fawara Chowk to Hamilton Road into a pedestrian street, parking has become a major problem in the main commercial hub of the region, while the Punjab government has yet to give the go-ahead signal to Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) to construct a parking plaza.
There is a parking plaza being run by Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) but it is not enough to meet the requirements. The parking plaza has the capacity to accommodate only 1000 vehicles, including motorcycles.
The RDA had planned to construct three more floors in the existing parking plaza during the government of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf but it failed to execute the project.
According to a study conducted by the RDA in 2022, more than 60,000 vehicles ply on roads around Fawara Chowk and there was the requirement of parking arrangements for 1200 vehicles. However, the roadside spaces accommodate only 200 vehicles.
Report submitted with Punjab govt but it is yet to approve construction of another parking plaza, says RMC official
A senior official of RMC told Dawn that they had assigned Nespak with preparing a feasibility study and it completed a report last year, which was sent to the provincial government for approval. However, the report has not yet been approved.
He said Rs3 billion would be spent on the construction of the three-storey parking plaza on the RMC old office land on Jinnah Road, commonly known as City Saddar Road, to end parking issues in Raja Bazaar.
The 145-year-old building of RMC was demolished in 2016 to level the three kanal and 10 marla and utilise the land for the construction of a multi-storey parking plaza.
Earlier, the land was taken over by the Punjab Revenue Board. The board tried to sell the land but found no buyer. However, after the change of the local government system in 2016, the land was handed over back to RMC.
The RMC was shifted to its new offices in 2003 and the building remained vacant and the civic body established a public transport parking at the plot.
A senior official of RMC told Dawn that work had been started to construct a multi-storey parking plaza a few yards away from the parking plaza of RDA at Fawara Chowk.
He said that according to the initial plan, the parking plaza would have five storeys, including a basement. “The ground floor will be utilised for shops and the four floors and basement will used for parking.”
He said there was a need to construct another parking plaza to cater to visitors to the markets in and around Raja Bazaar.
“In the initial estimates, 4200 motorcycles and 1500 cars will be accommodated in the new parking plaza at a time,” he said.
On the other hand, an RDA senior official said that the construction of additional floors in the existing parking plaza was still on papers and no approval had been given.
He said that according to the plan, RDA will construct three more floors in the parking plaza in Raja Bazaar to accommodate more than 2500 vehicles at a time.
Meanwhile, visitors criticised the government for not making parking areas for vehicles especially motorcycles. They said that it had become difficult to visit the main bazaar even on motorcycles.
“I preferred to park my motorcycle in a private parking area adjacent to Taj Company shop near Gawalmandi as there was no other place.
RDA’s parking plaza is not suitable for shopkeepers as they charge at hour basis which is expensive,” said Saleem Ahmed, a shopkeeper at Najam Plaza near Bara Market.
Mohammad Nasir, a visitor to Moti Bazaar, said that there was no place for parking around the main bazaars. “It is wastage of time to find a place in the parking plaza. Charges are also beyond the reach of the common man,” he said.
When contacted, Rawalpindi Traders Association President Sharjeel Mir said before launching the beautification work and turning Raja Bazaar into walking street, the government should have constructed a parking plaza
He said that rising inflation and unavailability of parking space had affected businesses at Raja Bazaar.
Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2026
