Persisting misery: Clogged roads, encroached markets landmark Raja Bazaar

Locals, traders demand construction of parking plazas to ease traffic congestion.

RAWALPINDI: The plight of residents of Raja Bazaar continue as  their repeated requests to  Rawal Town Municipal Administration (RTMA) and the City District Administration to remove encroachments and private parking areas have not been heeded.

There is only one parking plaza in the locality which was constructed by the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) that caters to more than 12 markets. The plaza is not even enough to handle traffic plying to a single market.

Muhammad Arshad, the caretaker of the only parking plaza, told The Express Tribune that the parking area was not enough to accommodate all the vehicles.

“People are forced to park their vehicles along the sides of the roads. Some private contractors are also operating parking lots in front of various markets in violation of the rules,” he said.

Arshad said that these vehicles and bikes parked along the roads in violation of the rules had become a nuisance.

He added that there was a need of at least four more parking plazas to improve the situation.

While talking to The Express Tribune, Liaqat Road Traders Association President Malik Iqbal Paracha said he had been doing business in the market for the last thirty years, adding “I assure you the situation cannot change without proper planning and genuine will of the administration.”

He said that there was only one parking plaza for more than 12 markets including Kashmiri bazaar, Mochi Bazaar, Namak Mandi and Ganj Mandi, among others, which did not make sense as this was not enough for traffic visiting just one of the markets.

Paracha said there was RTMA land nearby which could be used for constructing parking plazas.

“We have advised RTMA again and again to utilise the land for parking, but no one has bothered to pay any attention,” he said.

Paracha added that people face a lot of trouble on a daily basis due to the frequent traffic jams.

He said it was unfortunate that ambulances at times had to spend hours in traffic on their way to the nearby District Headquarters (DHQ) Hospital.

“At least four to five parking plazas should be immediately constructed to give people some relief,” he remarked.

He mentioned that a public transport stop (Suzuki stand) in the area was a continuous cause of traffic jams on Liaqat Road.

Paracha said transporters load and unload passengers in the middle of the road, and “the traffic wardens just act as silent spectators”.

He said Suzukis were allocated basement of the plaza for parking but the transporters had no regard for the rules.

“It seems as if the administration and city traffic police has given them a free hand,” Paracha claimed.

A traffic warden, who requested not to be named, said there were so many problems that it was better to sit silently on one side rather than interfere in the ‘mess’.

He said the people and shopkeepers too did not cooperate with traffic wardens when they are diverting traffic.

The warden said carts and makeshift stalls along the roads had left little space for motorists and the pedestrians. “Traffic jams are now a routine affair,” he said.

A circle of corruption

Ali Asad, a shopkeeper, accused RTMA officials of receiving kickbacks from encroachers.

They receive Rs25-Rs50 from the owners of makeshift stalls and Rs1,500 from the vendors, he said.

Asad added that the shopkeepers allowed stalls in front of their shops for Rs6,000-Rs10,000 per month – an amount he alleged they share with RTMA officials.

Meanwhile, a TMA official, who is known as “Billa” in the market, was seen by this correspondent taking bribes from owners of makeshift stalls.

When asked about his conduct, Billa refused to comment.

Other shopkeepers in the bazaar confirmed that RTMA employees including Billa extort money from vendors and makeshift stall owners and in return allow them to continue encroaching on the road.

Muhammad Iqbal, a shopping bag seller, said there were four to five RTMA employees who extort money from them on a weekly basis.

RTMA spokesperson Muhammad Tahir was not available for comments despite several attempts.

City Police Officer Khurram Jahanzeb said traffic had been diverted due to the ongoing construction work on Murree road, which was causing traffic congestion in Raja Bazaar and the surrounding areas. He said that the encroachments were also contributing to the traffic jams.

Jahanzeb agreed to the need for construction of more parking plazas to solve traffic problems of the area. However, for the time being, residents continue to suffer at the hands of the administration’s inefficiency.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 4^th, 2015.