The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) plans to add three more floors to its existing parking plaza at Fawara Chowk to increase parking capacity in the congested Raja Bazaar area.
An RDA senior official said the expansion plan envisages accommodating more than 2,500 vehicles at a time.
The existing parking plaza currently has the capacity to accommodate around 1,000 vehicles, including motorcycles, which officials and traders say is insufficient for the needs of Raja Bazaar.
The proposal to expand the facility was originally planned during the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government but could not be implemented.
The official said the proposed additional floors remain at the planning stage and no final approval has yet been granted for construction.
The expansion comes amid growing parking problems in Raja Bazaar, particularly after the section from Fawara Chowk to Hamilton Road was converted into a pedestrian street.
An RDA study conducted in 2022 found that more than 60,000 vehicles use roads around Fawara Chowk, while existing roadside parking can accommodate only around 200 vehicles.
Visitors and traders have also complained about the limited capacity and cost of the existing parking facility.
RDA officials believe the proposed expansion would provide additional parking capacity and help ease congestion around one of Rawalpindi’s busiest commercial areas.
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