Daily Times

In the vibrant heart of federal capital where pulse of daily life beats against backdrop of bustling streets and evolving cityscapes, a transformative effort is underway to tackle one of urban living’s most pressing challenges; the parking space.

For years, Islamabad has been grappling with dual pressures of rapid population growth and increasing vehicle numbers, straining the city’s infrastructure, particularly its parking facilities.

As the number of vehicles registered with Islamabad Excise Department already surpasses one million, the vehicles registered with other cities plying in capital, further add to traffic load and capital roads and parking areas feeling like shrinking rapidly.

Due to lukewarm response of previous regimes towards this emerging challenge, the situation continued worsening with capital roads and markets seen stuffed with vehicles and thousands of them parked on main arteries of the city.

“Finding parking space at capital markets has become a challenge,” said Asadullah Khan, a local businessman. “Daily rising vehicles number is further aggravating the situation. If timely measures are not taken travelling and parking at capital markets would become impossible.”

As the space is shrinking with every passing day, Asadullah emphasized underground or multi-story parking plazas and mass-transit to address this issue.

Many residents believe that at a time when the civic authorities needed to focus such issues, they have been in other businesses and development of housing societies, for reasons best known to them.

“When this problem was surfacing, our policy makers were busy in other affairs. So, the situation continued worsening under their nose,” said Rashid Mahmood, another capital resident.

However, recognizing the urgency of situation, the present municipal authorities have embarked on a series of measures aimed at alleviating congestion and ensuring smoother traffic flow across the city.

Central to Islamabad’s parking reform strategy is the development of multi-story parking Plaza in Blue Area. This plaza would be completed soon and not only accommodate large number of vehicles at a busy business center but also offer convenient and accessible parking options.

“Ensuring convenient and accessible parking is crucial for reducing traffic congestion and enhancing overall quality of life in Islamabad,” remarked Azam Khan Lodhi, a traffic consultant at Capital Development Authority (CDA).

For enhancing efficiency and convenience, he stressed to integrate advanced technological solutions into parking management systems. “Introduction of smart parking meters and mobile applications can facilitate residents and visitors to locate available parking spaces, minimizing the time spent in search of parking and optimizing use of existing infrastructure. Such innovations would also help control vehicular emissions related environmental pollution.” Some recent measures like running metro busses on different routes as well as introduction of electric buses are also seen as a positive step towards addressing this issue.

“Recent intra-city electric buses have been a game-changer. They save much of time and hassle, especially during peak hours. I’m glad Islamabad is embracing technology to improve urban mobility,” said Sarah Ahmed, a frequent commuter.

Beyond technological advancement, community engagement also lies at the heart of Islamabad’s parking management initiatives. Regular public consultations and feedback mechanisms enable authorities to tailor solutions that resonate with the diverse needs of city residents.

“By involving community in shaping our parking policies, we can better address their concerns and create a more sustainable urban parking environment for them,” stated CDA’s spokesperson. “As Islamabad continues to evolving into a modern metropolis, the commitment of authorities for resolving parking issues is of paramount importance.”

The spokesperson said, the city planners are also focusing on public transportation, cycling infrastructure and more parking spaces. “As many as 30 electric buses have started operating on NUST to PIMS and from PIMS to Bari Imam. The CDA will charge Rs. 50 flat fare from each passenger as charging points have also been set up for electric buses at Convention Centre and H-9.”

He informed, a fleet of 70 buses has also arrived in Islamabad for operating on 11 other routes as the CDA hopes to receive last fleet of 60 buses in near future taking the tally 160 buses. “This initiative will facilitate commuters with safer and speedy journey and reduce pressure on capital’s environment.”

Meanwhile, an environmental consultant Irfan Niazi said, investing in sustainable urban mobility is not a choice but a necessity to make capital vibrant and a livable city for coming generations.

In this context, he mentioned to approval of CDA’s Development Working Party (DWP) approval of Rs 4.56 billion for underpasses and strategic loops at Serena Chowk Khayaban Suhrawardy and Convention Center Srinagar Chowk to ease out traffic congestion and Rs 3.9952 billion projects for Jinnah Avenue and 9th Avenue intersection, underpasses and flyover.

“These developments mark substantial progress in addressing Islamabad’s infrastructure needs, promising enhanced traffic flow and modernized urban management systems,” Niazi said.

With this set of initiatives going to be in place, one can hope the capital becoming a sustainable urban landscape, ensuring seamless blend of modernity and convenience for its residents and visitors alike.