On the directives of Commissioner Rawalpindi and Director General, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Salman Ghani, an open auction was held for two RDA parking plazas. The auction covered the parking plaza at Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, and another parking plaza located opposite the Tehsil Office.
A meeting of the Auction Committee was held under the chairmanship of Director Estate Management RDA, Iftikhar Ali. Director Engineering Komal Chaudhry, Deputy Director Finance Ayesha Badar, Deputy Director Estate Management Abdul Rehman, Deputy Director Planning Muhammad Dawood, and other concerned officers participated in the meeting.
During the open auction, a three-year contract for the RDA parking plaza at Fawara Chowk, Raja Bazaar, was awarded to Mr Zabihullah at an annual rent of Rs 64.715 mn. Similarly, the contract for the parking plaza opposite the Tehsil Office was awarded to Wasila Enterprise at an annual rent of Rs. 46.85 lac.
The Auction Committee completed the auction process in accordance with the prescribed rules and regulations after carefully reviewing the bids received. The committee members ensured transparency, merit, and strict compliance with all applicable rules and regulations throughout the process. All relevant terms and conditions were also considered before finalising the contracts for both parking plazas. It was further decided that the annual rent for both parking plazas would be increased by 10 per cent each year.
It is worth mentioning here that the current situation of Raja Bazaar at Rawalpindi has undergone an incredible transformation, from the days of its congestion being replaced by a clean and organised environment. The historic marketplace is known for its high volume of traffic, along with the clutter of overhead wires, the congestion of the streets and the crowds at every turn, but a recently added fresh coat of paint on the buildings, street improvements, colourful lighting and new signage have breathed new life into the area.
Although Raja Bazaar has undergone a facelift, its liveliness and commercial activity have not changed. The market now has a better environment, which has made it more appealing to customers and tourists. The redevelopment has transformed this area and has brought back the vibrancy to the community, the local shop owners say, as people now come to admire and enjoy the market’s new quality in addition to buying.