Parking plaza falls prey to mismanagement
Multi-million parking plaza project falling prey to lack of coordination between provincial government institutions.
RAWALPINDI:
A direly needed multi-million parking plaza project for the congested city of Rawalpindi is falling prey to lack of coordination between the provincial government institutions.
Sources in the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Rawalpindi told that the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) was supposed to acquire an adequate amount of land for the parking plaza from TMA, but had been unable to do so. Because of this, the under-construction plaza would not be suitable for overcoming the traffic problems of the city.
The land in question is located at Fawara Chowk adjacent to CIA (police) office and was formerly the office
of TMA.
According to the original plan, TMA was supposed to provide adequate land to Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) for construction of the first ever parking plaza of the city. “But RDA did not pursue the issue properly due to which police offices on the land of TMA could also not be shifted to other locations,” the source said.
The shabby look plaza is now confined to a limited space. National Engineering Services of Pakistan had designed the original plaza which is being constructed on a covered area of 6 kanals (120 marlas) with a basement and three floors.
The plaza will cost Rs400 million with a capacity to accommodate 500 vehicles. Political representatives had been falsely claiming on banners across the city that the plaza would be able to give space to 850 vehicles.
TMA sources said it was essential to acquire more land from TMA to minimise the congestion problems of the city and provide commuters with better traffic facilities.
Muhammad Makeen Shahbaz, director general RDA did not comment on the issue, saying that the spokesperson was authorized to give an official version. Spokesperson RDA Javed Iqbal said that he was assigned the additional charge of focal person recently and was not aware of the internal affairs of the authority.
Town Municipal Officer (TMO) Shahzad Haider told that some people had succeeded to encroach TMA land and it would take time to get the place vacated. He said the case of Rose Cinema land was already pending with the Punjab Board of Revenue and after the board’s decision, TMA would able to take occupation of that land. He conceded that police offices at Fawara Chowk could be shifted to other place for the better use of TMA land.
Officials in the office of Director General RDA told that the plaza was proposed back in 1999 but some hotel owners and shopkeepers moved the court with the claim that the land belonged to them and any construction by the RDA was illegal.
They said that construction work on the long-awaited parking plaza in Raja Bazaar started after the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench decision which refused to pass stay orders.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2010.
A direly needed multi-million parking plaza project for the congested city of Rawalpindi is falling prey to lack of coordination between the provincial government institutions.
Sources in the Town Municipal Administration (TMA) Rawalpindi told that the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) was supposed to acquire an adequate amount of land for the parking plaza from TMA, but had been unable to do so. Because of this, the under-construction plaza would not be suitable for overcoming the traffic problems of the city.
The land in question is located at Fawara Chowk adjacent to CIA (police) office and was formerly the office
of TMA.
According to the original plan, TMA was supposed to provide adequate land to Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) for construction of the first ever parking plaza of the city. “But RDA did not pursue the issue properly due to which police offices on the land of TMA could also not be shifted to other locations,” the source said.
The shabby look plaza is now confined to a limited space. National Engineering Services of Pakistan had designed the original plaza which is being constructed on a covered area of 6 kanals (120 marlas) with a basement and three floors.
The plaza will cost Rs400 million with a capacity to accommodate 500 vehicles. Political representatives had been falsely claiming on banners across the city that the plaza would be able to give space to 850 vehicles.
TMA sources said it was essential to acquire more land from TMA to minimise the congestion problems of the city and provide commuters with better traffic facilities.
Muhammad Makeen Shahbaz, director general RDA did not comment on the issue, saying that the spokesperson was authorized to give an official version. Spokesperson RDA Javed Iqbal said that he was assigned the additional charge of focal person recently and was not aware of the internal affairs of the authority.
Town Municipal Officer (TMO) Shahzad Haider told that some people had succeeded to encroach TMA land and it would take time to get the place vacated. He said the case of Rose Cinema land was already pending with the Punjab Board of Revenue and after the board’s decision, TMA would able to take occupation of that land. He conceded that police offices at Fawara Chowk could be shifted to other place for the better use of TMA land.
Officials in the office of Director General RDA told that the plaza was proposed back in 1999 but some hotel owners and shopkeepers moved the court with the claim that the land belonged to them and any construction by the RDA was illegal.
They said that construction work on the long-awaited parking plaza in Raja Bazaar started after the decision of the Lahore High Court (LHC) Rawalpindi bench decision which refused to pass stay orders.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2010.