RAWALPINDI, Jul 27 (APP):Motorists in the bustling commercial hub of Satellite Town continue to grapple with the lack of parking spaces, a problem that has worsened as the area experiences increasing commercial development and population density. Finding a parking space for vehicles particularly in evening hours has become a daunting task for both residents and shoppers alike. Kashif Chaudhry, a local motorist, voiced his concerns about the growing inconvenience. “The lack of parking space makes it extremely difficult for us to park our vehicles. This issue often leads to unnecessary traffic snarls and delays. The authorities concerned must take concrete steps to address this problem,” he said. With Satellite Town being a focal point for businesses, shops, and markets, the limited availability of parking lots has emerged as a major bottleneck for traffic movement and pedestrians’ safety.

Many motorists are forced to park their vehicles far from their intended destinations, increasing foot traffic in already congested areas. An official of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), however, assured that several infrastructural projects were underway aimed at easing parking and traffic woes. “We are actively working on plans to construct additional parking plazas in critical commercial zones to provide more parking options for motorists.” Furthermore, he added, the RDA was set to undertake significant road infrastructure enhancements, including the construction of new underpasses and flyovers. “These developments are expected to improve traffic flow, reduce congestion, and create a safer environment for both drivers and pedestrians.” The projects, once completed, would hopefully bring the much-needed relief to Satellite Town by addressing the root causes of parking scarcity and traffic bottlenecks, the official said.

On the other hand, Chief Traffic Officer (CTO) Beenish Fatima said wrong parking was creating hurdles in smooth flow of traffic, directing wardens and field officers to take strict action against the violators without any discrimination. She said wrong parking, which was one of the main causes of traffic mess on roads, would not be tolerated. The vehicles and motorcycles must be impounded in the police stations. All-out efforts were being made to regulate city traffic, she said and urged the citizens to cooperate with traffic police so that the traffic problems could be resolved as smooth traffic flow on the city roads would ultimately save their precious time and mental torture of remaining trapped in traffic jams . The CTO further said enhanced number of traffic wardens with lifters had been deployed at busy roads to discourage wrong parking.