Rawalpindi: RDA to launch project of Shopping Centre cum Parking Plaza at Raja Bazar

[Naveed Yaseen]

Saeed Ahmed
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has decided to launch work on project of Parking Plaza and Shopping Centre at Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, by the end of November this year.

RDA Director General Makeen Shahbaz told ‘The News’ here Saturday that work on feasibility study and designing has been initiated and the Punjab government has approved the project to resolve traffic congestion problem at Raja Bazaar and its link roads including Jinnah Road, Dhoke Ratta, Liaquat Bagh and Banni.

The building would be a seven-storey shopping centre having parking lot in its basement. Besides shopping centres a suitable part of the building would be allotted to commercial business offices.

It is a self-funded project and the Punjab government would not allocate any fund or grant in this regard, Makeen Shahbaz said.

Similarly, the RDA in its current annual budget has allocated an amount of Rs10 million for kicking off work on the project which would be completed in six months.

The site of project is Suzuki Stand in the main Fawara Chowk, causing huge traffic hurdles in all roads connecting to Raja Bazaar. The Suzuki stands would be shifted before the inauguration of work on the project, he said.

Earlier, the RDA had decided to implement this project at the site of old office of Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation. The site of old RMC building had been allotted for parking lot, which has yet not been implemented over the last five years since shifting of its office at Liaquat Bagh.

Thereafter, on the directions of the Punjab government the RDA had decided to compensate the affectees of Committee Chowk Underpass, enabling them to do their business at the site of the old RMC building. However, due to unknown reasons this plan had also been dropped.

The RMC building is in a dilapidated condition. The site has secretly been allotted by the Tehsil Municipal Administration, Rawal Town, to traders for parking their vehicles on charges.

The RDA in near future has no plan to start work on demolishing the old building of RMC and convert it into parking lot or even allocate it to the affectees of the Committee Chowk Underpass. Till then the drug addicts have good opportunity to avail this place.

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