Much-awaited: Parking plaza to open in Raja Bazaar

RAWALPINDI:

The much-awaited parking plaza at Fawara Chowk is closer to becoming a reality. Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is expected to inaugurate the plaza, which is being constructed at Raja Bazaar, the most congested commercial area of the city. Rawalpindi Development Authority Engineering Director Akram Suband said on Friday that 95 per cent of construction work has been completed. “The finishing touches and beautification are currently in progress,” he said.

The project is being called a mega-project by many as the provincial government has spent around Rs180 million on the plaza, which spreads over 4.5 kanals of land. The five-storey structure, which also has a basement, is located near Fawara Chowk in the heart of the city, on the crossing of Liaquat Road and Jinnah Road.

Muhammad Kashif, a visitor, said that the parking plaza was the need of hour. Similarly, Shaukat, a local, said that traffic in the area was a mess and it was high time that steps were taken to address the issue. “There is no place to walk here during peak hours, let alone park a car. There is so much traffic here that we are kept waiting in a bid to reach our homes,” he said. “Hopefully, this initiative will make things better,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 6^th, 2011.