Vendors protest RCB's move

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) Anjuman-e-Tajran has opposed the board's decision to convert Bank Road into a pedestrian-only street and enforce a tiered parking fee at Potohar Parking-1.

Businessmen have labelled the moves as 'anti-business.'

Key measures under fire include converting Bank Road into a pedestrian-only street and enforcing a tiered parking fee at Potohar Parking-1, where Rs50 will be charged for the first hour, Rs100 for the second, and Rs50 for each additional hour.

The RCB implemented these changes following the completion of an underground cabling and beautification project in the Saddar Commercial Area, which covers Bank Road, Kashmir Road, Haider Road, King Road, and Mall Road.

The initial phase of the project, valued at Rs830 million, is set to expand with a further Rs400-500 million in funding for broader beautification efforts.

In protest, Anjuman Tajran Cantt has announced plans to shut down shops and return keys to the RCB administration. "These decisions were not made with input from the project's string committee," a spokesperson for the business association stated, calling the measures disruptive to local trade.

Zafar Qadri, general secretary of Anjuman-e-Tajran Rawalpindi Cantt, announced an upcoming press conference to outline further actions against the RCB's initiatives.

"The business community is deeply concerned," he remarked, highlighting the collective frustration.

Responding to the backlash, RCB Assistant Secretary Rashid Saqib explained that road closures would occur in phases to facilitate construction and assured that the pedestrian zone proposal for Bank Road would be presented to cantonment officials before implementation.