The Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation (RMC) has proposed a Rs. 3 billion multi-storey parking plaza on Jinnah Road to address the growing parking shortage around the busy Raja Bazaar commercial area.
According to an RMC official, the civic body has engaged NESPAK to conduct a feasibility study for the project. The feasibility report was completed last year and submitted to the Punjab government, but the project is still awaiting formal approval.
The proposed parking plaza would be built on the site of the RMC’s former office on Jinnah Road, also known as City Saddar Road. The approximately three-kanal-and-10-marla site became available after the 145-year-old RMC building was demolished in 2016.
Under the initial proposal, the facility would consist of five storeys, including a basement. The ground floor would accommodate shops, while the remaining floors and basement would be dedicated to parking.
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The planned facility could provide parking space for around 4,200 motorcycles and 1,500 cars, significantly increasing parking capacity in the congested area.
The project has gained greater importance following the conversion of the Raja Bazaar section between Fawara Chowk and Hamilton Road into a pedestrian street, which reduced the already limited parking space available to visitors and shoppers.
RMC officials believe an additional parking facility is necessary to accommodate people visiting Raja Bazaar and nearby markets, particularly during busy commercial hours.
If approved and completed, the parking plaza could help reduce roadside parking, improve traffic flow and provide a more organized parking solution for one of Rawalpindi’s busiest commercial districts.
However, the Rs. 3 billion project remains subject to approval by the Punjab government, meaning construction cannot begin until the provincial authorities give the proposal the go-ahead.
