Lahore Parking Company (Le Park) will tender out contracts for automated parking systems on January 10, Pakistan Today has learnt. Over the years, the provincial metropolitan has witnessed an increase in vehicles on the roads. Poor parking systems have played a strong role in the resultant traffic congestion as there were no proper parking spaces to accommodate the growing vehicles of the city. Commercialisation of properties, shortfall in off-street parking and parking mismanagement all contributed to clogged roads.
Talking to Pakistan Today, Le Park Managing Director Shakeel Ahmad said the company was planning to improve the parking systems in the city by facilitating on and off-street parking in the initial stages. He further said that before the tender was issued on January 10, the company would start controlling parking sites with the cooperation of City District Government of Lahore (CDGL).
Moreover, he said that the company would start electronic ticketing and the entire network would be connected through the internet. He said that electronic ticketing would enable easier monitoring and would also help the city traffic police to control traffic better. Ahmad further said that the company was working on creating zones in the city and may divide Lahore in two zones, with the division line being Ferozepur Road. He said that the parking sites would be closely monitored through CCTV cameras.
These automated parking spaces would come as a relief to many citizens who have complained about lack of proper parking sites to be the main source of traffic congestion. Rashid Mahmood, a commuter, told Pakistan Today that the authorities needed to take notice of the traffic situation in the city caused by insufficient parking spaces. He further said that authorities should conduct traffic campaigns to enforce traffic regulations.
Another motorist, Bilal told Pakistan Today that because of insufficient parking spaces, commuters had no choice but to park their vehicles at roadsides. He said that it was commendable that the government had finally taken notice of the situation and were trying to fix the problem.
