Raja Bazaar’s quest for parking space

Partial work on project in Rawalpindi was completed in 2011

RAWALPINDI:

The project for the construction of a parking plaza in the old and congested commercial area of Raja Bazaar continues to face delays, with the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) taking 13 years to complete the first phase of the project.

Meanwhile, the parking plaza at Fawara (water fountain) chowk has been delayed for over a decade as well.

The parking plaza project was first conceived in 1995 on the orders of the provincial government to deal with the issue of persistent log jams at three points in the garrison city: Bani chowk, Committee chowk and Fawara chowk. Unfortunately, the project failed to take off in the first two years.

Also read: ‘Murree to get new parking plaza’

Variou s reasons including a shortage of funds were cited as reasons for the delay in the three projects. This resulted in the costs ballooning over the years, with the initially allocated amount falling short while the traffic situation went from bad to worse.

In 1997, the RDA joined hands with the private sector in an attempt to start work on the parking structure at Fawara chowk. But it was stalled over objections from a federal minister from Rawalpindi.

After that, the project experienced a lull of another 13 years with no activity taking place on the proposed project.

In 2010, with traffic challenges intensifying and parking leading to major issues, the RDA started working on a parking plaza at Fawara chowk after another round of instructions from the provincial government.

It reportedly acquired 163.35 square feet land from the municipal administration with the plan to construct a five-storey parking plaza with two basements. The project was divided into two phases.

In first phase, two basements and two storeys of the parking plaza were completed in June 2011. For this project 76,230 square feet land was covered.

Also read: RDA seals illegal plaza, shops on Gulraiz Road

The total cost of phase one of the project was said to be Rs500 million.

The RDA reportedly allocated Rs300 for the completion of the remaining three storeys over the next three years. However, the second phase has not commenced over the last 13 years. This was despite approval from four governments including the current caretaker set up in the Punjab.

Tehsil office gets upgrade

A state-of-the-art complex has replaced the 200-year-old office of the Rawalpindi tehsil (administrative subdivision) near Raja Bazaar in the garrison city, with the facility to be inaugurated Monday. According to officials, the new complex was constructed at a cost of Rs55 million.

The complex’s inauguration would be as a two-storey building with two more to be added in the second phase, officials said.

However, offices of the tehsil were expected to start shifting to the new facility from Tuesday.

Another structure adjacent to the new complex, which was also nearly 200 years old, was also torn down and turned into a parking lot.

This original office dates back to the British era. The building was in a dilapidated state due to years of poor maintenance, with leaky roofs and cracked walls. The office housed documents pertaining to private and public property, which is why it is important to overhaul the building, said one official.

Read: Work stops on tehsil complex building due to lack of funds 

This new complex would have the offices of the assistant commissioner, tehsildar (collector), naib tehsildar, patwaris (registrars) and their supervisors (girdawars). The property record room would also be situated in the complex.

Officials said that the process to digitise the record had been started. They added that physical records would be preserved along with their digital copy.

The relevant offices of the tehsil would be located in this complex. The complex is equipped with modern amenities including air conditioning. It has a spacious waiting area and an auditorium for meetings and seminars.

Officials said that the complex would provide a one-window solution that would be a source of convenience for the residents of the tehsil.

They added that high-ranking officials including public representatives, the chief secretary as well as the commissioner and deputy commissioner would be the inauguration.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 21^st, 2023.