Rawalpindi Traders Demand Mandatory Parking for New Commercial Plazas

Traders in Saddar, Rawalpindi, have called on the federal government to make mandatory parking a requirement for new commercial plazas in the area. This demand stems from the acute shortage of parking spaces that has become a major issue in Saddar, exacerbated by the restriction of vehicle access following the conversion of Bank Road into a pedestrian-only street.

Zaffar Qadri, General Secretary of Markazi Anjuman Tajran Rawalpindi Cantonment, highlighted that the limitation has adversely affected customer access to the main commercial district, with existing plazas also lacking sufficient parking facilities. Currently, parking is only permitted on Kashmir Road, Haider Road, and Adamjee Road, which collectively can accommodate around 700 vehicles.

The Rawalpindi Cantonment Board (RCB) has allocated two parking areas, one at Haider Road near the Metro Bus station and another in front of Ceros Cinema, but traders assert these facilities are inadequate to meet the demand. Qadri emphasized that parking arrangements within major commercial buildings, such as Rania Mall, have become less effective due to the prohibition on vehicle entry via Bank Road.

Despite this ongoing shortage, new commercial plazas continue to receive construction approvals without adequate provisions for parking. The traders' association has urged that any new commercial projects must not be approved until the RCB and the federal government address the parking shortage by either reserving sufficient land for public parking or constructing modern parking facilities.

Traders have also demanded the provision of parking facilities along the pedestrian corridor from Cantonment Police Station Road to Murree Road. Qadri accused the RCB officials of neglecting the issue and urged the federal government to intervene, adding that a delegation of traders is seeking a meeting with the cantonment executive officer and the RCB president to find a solution that benefits traders, customers, and the public.