City grapples with parking woes

Violation of building rules, lack of coordinated planning multiply problems

LAHORE:

Parking on roads has become a major contributor to traffic problems in the provincial capital because of non-implementation of building by-laws and poor planning by development authorities.

Lack of proper parking stands forces the citizens to park their vehicles on roadside, which disrupts the flow of traffic.

There is only one parking plaza in the city with an estimated population of about 15 million. As many as 215 parking lots were set up in the provincial capital in 2012 and 2013, whose control was later taken from the metropolitan corporation and handed over to the Lahore Parking Company.

The move was aimed at providing the citizens model parking facilities with computerised tokens and surveillance cameras. Establishment of new parking sites was also planned.

The metropolitan corporation, which was charging Rs10 for parking a motorcycle and Rs20 for a car, used to collect about Rs67 million annually from the parking lots.

The parking company started charging Rs20 for a motorcycle Rs30 for a car. During the past seven years, the Lahore Parking Company has paid Rs230 million to the metropolitan corporation after deducting the expenses, causing a loss of about Rs280 million to the exchequer. The number of parking stands in the city has increased to 300 from 215 during the period, which includes several illegal stands.

However, the purpose for which the parking company was formed could not be fulfilled. Violation of parking rules continues throughout the city. Up to four lanes of motorcycle parking along the city’s main roads, as well as parking in restricted areas continues.

The areas facing the most severe traffic problems include Lower Mall, district courts, commissioner’s office, secretariat, Mall Road, Egerton Road Ferozepur Road, Gulberg, Liberty, Hussain Chowk, IG office, Chauburji, Sheeranwala, Masti Gate, railway station, bus station, Badami Bagh, Model Town courts, Shah Alam Market, Circular Road and Blessing Market.

Improper parking disrupts the city’s traffic system and long queues of vehicles can be seen in the morning and afternoon in the affected areas. Precious time of the commuters is wasted because of the sloe movement of traffic. The traffic congestion also increases pollution and fuel consumption.

The metropolitan corporation has so far registered about 200 complaints against the parking company for charging excessive fees. The National Accountability Bureau is investigating allegations of corruption in the Lahore Parking Company. The parking problems in the city have increased during the past 15 years as the government’s role in this regard has mostly been confined to planning and not implementation of solutions.

About 15 years ago, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) built the D-Point Plaza in Shah Alam Market for parking but it could not serve its purpose. Most people still park their cars in front of shops, causing traffic problems.

Owners of private stands are charging higher parking fees than the government rate.

The plans for the construction of commercial buildings in the city are approved by LDA and metropolitan corporation officials. Parking facilities are included in the maps of plazas, but after the completion of their construction shops and offices are set up in the parking lots and then cars are parked on the roads outside the plazas. The the parking problems can be solved to a large extent by strictly implementing the building by-laws in the city.

About 10 years ago, a plan was prepared to build parking plazas at eight spots in the city, including Mall Road, Town Hall, Sheranwala Gate, Nila Gumbad, Barkat Market, Ichhra, Lahore High Court and Akbari Mandi. However, work on the plazas was not started.

Traffic experts say there is an urgent need for an organised parking system in the city.

The parking stands also need to be shifted away from the densely populated areas.

An official said new parking plazas and stands should be constructed in consultation with the LDA, traffic police, metropolitan corporation and the Traffic Engineering and Planning Authority.

Deputy Director Public Services Metropolitan Corporation Lahore Mohammad Sarfraz told The Express Tribune that planning was underway on the directives of Punjab government to solve the traffic problems of the city. Locations are being identified to build parking plazas in areas with more traffic problems.

In reply to a question, he said the provincial government would decide about the operation of parking stands in Lahore. Action was also being taken against illegal parking, the official added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 12^th, 2020.