The much-trumpeted Saddar Car Parking Plaza, built on Preedy Street near Empress Market by former City District Government Karachi (CDGK) at cost of around Rs 700 million about seven years back continues to remain deserted reportedly owing to non-cooperation of traffic police.
Sources in Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) told Business Recorder that the 12-story Parking Plaza having capacity to accommodate over 600 cars and 500 motorbikes was built in 2008 to bring an end to haphazard parking in and around Empress Market and Saddar but it remained deserted as the traffic police department which was supposed to impose ban on illegal parking on main thoroughfares of Saddar didn't cooperate with KMC because of its vested interest.
According to KMC officials, some 5,000 vehicles, including cars and motorcycles which are parked daily on various busy commercial streets not only create hindrances for the smooth flow of vehicular traffic but also cause immense difficulties for pedestrians. "Had the traffic police imposed ban on vehicles parking on various roads and streets of Saddar, motorists wouldn't have any choice but to park their vehicles at the Saddar Parking Plaza," they opined.
"In fact, parking mafia in connivance with traffic police has been doing a roaring business in Saddar and its adjoining area," they alleged. Sources in KMC deplored that all their requests made to the senior officials of traffic police department for not allowing illegal parking on various roads of Saddar have, so far, remain unheeded.
Had the traffic police imposed a ban on parking of vehicles on all busy thoroughfares of Saddar ad its adjoining alleys, not only the menace of traffic congestion would have been removed from there but the KMC Parking Plaza would not have remained deserted," they added. Meanwhile, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Traffic could not be contacted for his comments despite several attempts made by Business Recorder.
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