LAHORE – Government has dropped the idea of constructing over ten proposed park and ride plazas in the City for indefinite period due to some technical reasons – the major being insufficient funds, sources informed The Nation. “Government postponed the construction of these proposed parking plazas when the departments concerned have completed entire paper work of these proposed parking plazas,” they added. Although, government was desirous to construct such plazas in the City but financial crunch in the country played key role in flopping this project. “The government even has not enough funds for purchasing land for the construction of parking plazas in some commercial areas of the City. However, no official even higher authorities have any idea about restarting the work on the project, they further added.
Sources in Tepa and LDA further told this scribe that the government had only made tall claims in this regard. They further said that government just invited pre-qualifications from the consultants only after announcing the construction of these plazas. “No bids for the construction of any of the proposed plazas could be invited by the government so far and announced projects are still in files despite identifying the sites for the purpose”, the added. They said that the official of LDA and Tepa justified their performance by completing the entire file work including identifying the sites for the proposed plazas.
The Tepa experts and engineers identified three sites for the construction of such proposed plazas in Anarkali Bazaar including Neela Gumbad Chowk, office of medicolegal and New Delhi Hotel, Barkat Market, Moon Market Allama Iqbal Town, Bhati Chowk, Ichra Ferozpur Road, Model Town Mor, District Courts and some other sites. The authority had also planned to establish a central business district (CBD) in the City comprising Jail Road, Main Boulevard, MM Alam Road, segment of Hali Road and Sharah-e-Noor Jehan, Gulberg, for more investment opportunities. But, unfortunately government started using delaying tactics in release of funds and the work done by the LDA/Tepa officials going in waste.
