ISLAMABAD: The Capital Development Authority (CDA) and Metropolitan Corporation Islamabad have made a modern digital parking plaza in the Blue Area fully operational, offering space for more than 1,200 vehicles as the federal capital's busiest commercial center struggles with worsening parking problems.
The facility is expected to ease congestion caused by vehicles parked along roads and in commercial areas, though the growing number of vehicles and increasing pressure on available parking spaces continue to challenge the city's administration.
According to the CDA, the plaza will remain operational around the clock throughout the week. Parking will initially be free for a few days, after which motorists will be charged Rs100 per car and Rs50 per motorcycle. The first 20 minutes of parking will remain free.
The authority said a digital parking management and monitoring system has been installed to regulate vehicle entry and exit and improve security. Digital receipts will be issued to motorists, and cashless and online payment options will also be available. Parking charges will be collected when vehicles leave the facility.
The plaza is part of efforts to introduce organized parking in the Blue Area, where the growing number of commercial establishments, visitors and private vehicles has put additional pressure on existing infrastructure. The CDA also said a restaurant will be established on the building's rooftop to provide dining and recreational facilities to citizens and visitors.
The auction of several commercial shops in the plaza has already been completed. The opening of the facility comes amid persistent complaints about haphazard parking, traffic congestion and a shortage of designated parking spaces in major commercial areas of Islamabad.
According to a CDA official, while the new plaza is expected to provide some relief, its effectiveness in addressing the wider parking problem will depend on enforcement against roadside parking and the development of similar facilities in other crowded sectors of the capital.
The project is an important step toward introducing modern digital parking facilities in the federal capital. The digital monitoring and cashless payment systems at the Blue Area Parking Plaza are expected to provide citizens with modern and secure parking facilities, along with a transparent process for payment of parking charges.
