Parking plaza seized after contractor default

The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has taken over the city's only multi-storey Parking Plaza at Fawara Chowk after its contractor defaulted on outstanding payments amounting to Rs420 million.

Until a fresh contract is awarded, the authority will continue to operate the facility through its own staff to ensure that parking services remain functional.

Sources said the contractor of the Fawara Chowk parking plaza in Raja Bazaar had earlier obtained a stay order from the court to prevent eviction following the default. After the stay order expired, the RDA assumed control of the facility on Sunday morning.

The contractor had reportedly failed to pay the monthly lease amount to the Authority for the past seven months. As a result, the outstanding liability, including rent and surcharges, accumulated to approximately Rs420m, prompting the authority to repossess the parking facility.

The development comes at a time when the RDA, the city's principal development authority, has been without a full-time Director General for the past six months. During this period, the additional charge of Director General has continued to be assigned to the Commissioner of Rawalpindi.

It is pertinent to note that the RDA was rocked by a Rs1.94 billion financial scandal that surfaced in May 2025. However, with the assistance of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), the recovery process has now reached its final stages.