Key Takeaways
- CDA is developing a time-based electronic parking system in Islamabad.
- The system will monitor parking duration and charges through digital dashboards.
- Seven locations in Islamabad will be equipped with the new system.
The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is set to introduce a new electronic parking system in seven locations across Islamabad, according to a statement made to the Senate Standing Committee on Interior.
Under the proposed system, the duration of vehicles' stay in designated parking areas will be digitally recorded, allowing the CDA to monitor parking charges electronically.
CDA officials informed the committee that work on the project is underway, with the Blue Area parking plaza already completed and operational.
Director General Enforcement Anum Fatima stated that parking fees are being collected according to the CDA’s approved layout plan, and cashless payments and QR codes are being used for transactions at all parking facilities.
Senator Naseema Ehsan highlighted the challenges faced by residents and visitors in finding parking spaces, particularly noting the difficulties for people from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Balochistan, and other provinces who live in or visit the capital.
Senator Abid Sher Ali questioned the CDA’s parking arrangements, pointing out that parking fees were still being collected on roads despite the authority’s claim that the Blue Area parking plaza had been completed.
Sher Ali proposed that new plazas should not be granted a No Objection Certificate unless they provide adequate underground parking facilities, suggesting a more comprehensive approach to addressing parking issues in the city.
The new system aims to streamline parking management and reduce congestion in the capital, potentially alleviating the frustration faced by drivers and improving the overall traffic flow in Islamabad.
