Lahore: Parking stands at Liberty Market cause problems for residents

[Naveed Yaseen]

* Tariq Road resident says children get disturbed at night due to constant honking
* Gulberg Town TMO says parking plaza under consideration

By Afnan Khan

LAHORE: The conversion of several roads in the Liberty Market’s residential area to parking lots is hindering traffic and causing problems for the area’s residents.

Sources at the Gulberg Town Municipal Administration (TMA) said on Saturday that the contractors pay large sums of money to the TMA’s officials to refrain from cancelling the contract due to the construction of a large parking lot in the middle of the market. They said several residents had filed complaints with the Gulberg TMA, adding that the residents complained about the vehicles that were constantly parked outside their residences. They said the residents had been highly disturbed by the constant noise caused by motorists.

Honk: Amjad Ali, a resident of Tariq Road, said the phenomenon had literally made them live like hostages in their own houses, adding that the presence so many vehicles and people barred them from freely moving in and outside their residences. He said it was even more problematic for the female members of his family and the children due to the a large number of strangers outside their residences. “My father is a heart patient and needs constant rest, my children also get disturbed while trying to sleep at night due to the constant honking outside. All the residents have filed several complaints, but it seems as if the authorities concerned are only after making some extra money, “ he said. Another resident, Agha Ehtasham, said he had complained to the authorities concerned several times. He said they had claimed to abolish these parking stands once the main parking lot was completed, but nothing had been done yet. He said the town administration was supposed to facilitate the residents, not to mint money by destroying their peace.

Plaza: Gulberg Town town municipal officer (TMO) said the administration was aware of the problems facing the residents. He said the administration had no choice, as the main parking lot was not large enough for the market’s visitors. He said they have proposed a summary for the development of a parking plaza in the area. He said the administration had been ordered by the authorities concerned to ensure that no cars were blocking any houses or hindering traffic.

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