Rawalpindi’s long-running parking crisis is deepening, as several major parking plazas remain stuck in files, meetings, and approvals while traffic congestion keeps getting worse in the city’s commercial and residential areas.
Despite repeated announcements and planning exercises, no major parking facility has been completed in recent years, leaving motorists to circle busy roads for long periods in search of space, especially in Saddar, inner-city bazaars, and cantonment areas.
Fawara Chowk Parking Plaza Stuck in Approval Stage
One of the most important projects — the Fawara Chowk parking plaza — is still incomplete due to delays in the approval of its PC-I by the Punjab government.
The structure currently consisting of a basement, ground floor, and first floor, but the plan originally included two additional floors to significantly increase capacity. These upper levels cannot be constructed until the revised PC-I is approved and funds are released.
Officials keep on saying that the cost of the project is now estimated at over Rs. 3 billion, and rising construction expenses mean further delays could make it even more expensive. Meanwhile, the surrounding commercial areas continue to suffer from severe parking shortages.
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Saddar Parking Plaza Plan Yet to Materialize
Parking demand in Saddar and inner-city markets has grown sharply with the expansion of commercial activity, high-rise buildings, and increasing car ownership.
In order to tackle this huge issue, the Municipal Corporation Rawalpindi prepared a plan for a five-story parking plaza on its former office land along Saddar Road.
- Total area: 14 kanals and 10 marlas
- Capacity: Over 1,600 cars and 2,000 motorcycles
On paper, this project could significantly reduce roadside parking and traffic jams around main Saddar Road, Bank Road, and adjacent markets. However, the scheme is still awaiting formal approval and funding, turning what could be a game-changing solution into just another pending file.
Other Planned Plazas Also Encounter Financial Hurdles
Two more parking plazas — one at Banni Market near Banni Chowk and another in Commercial Market — were also proposed to cater to dense commercial zones where roads remain choked throughout the day.
But due to financial constraints and limited development budgets, these projects have not gone beyond the planning or concept stage. No land development or construction work has commenced yet, leaving traders and shoppers to depend entirely on roadside parking and double-parking, which further slows traffic.
Cantonment Areas: No Plaza, Only Roadside Parking
The situation in Rawalpindi cantonment areas is even more troubling.
There is no dedicated parking plaza at all, despite the presence of major commercial strips, restaurants, shopping centers, and offices along key roads.
With commercial buildings lining the main arteries and no structured parking facilities, vehicles are parked along the roadsides, on footpaths, and in every available corner. This puts pressure on:
- Cantonment boards, responsible for civic planning in their jurisdiction
- Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), which has also been unable to deliver a coordinated parking strategy
Both bodies have so far failed to introduce a sustainable solution to the mounting parking and traffic challenges.
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Growing Urban Pressure, Little Practical Relief
As Rawalpindi grows and urbanization accelerates, the gap between parking demand and actual capacity is widening rapidly. The main commercial and market areas of the city now experience:
- Daily traffic bottlenecks
- Increased travel time for commuters
- Frustration among shopkeepers and customers
- Higher risk of accidents due to haphazard parking
Urban planners and citizens alike agree that multi-story parking plazas are no longer optional — they are essential. However, until PC-I approvals are expedited, funds are allocated, and construction actually starts, Rawalpindi’s parking woes are likely to continue, turning every shopping trip or office commute into a test of patience.