Citizens are also questioning CDA’s priorities and planning failures. Many argue that every commercial building, plaza, hotel, or hospital should have been required to provide adequate parking space before receiving construction approval. Yet, most of the buildings in the extended Blue Area were allowed to operate without proper parking arrangements
ISLAMABAD, MAY 17 /DNA/ – The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has once again found itself under criticism after imposing a Rs100 parking fee in Islamabad’s extended Blue Area, a decision that is creating serious inconvenience for ordinary citizens, patients, visitors, and businesses alike. What was once promoted as a modern commercial extension with accessible public facilities is now becoming increasingly difficult for people to visit due to the added financial burden.
The extended Blue Area was developed with the promise of creating a vibrant commercial hub featuring hotels, hospitals, coffee shops, restaurants, and corporate offices. For years, visitors could enter the area freely, making it attractive for families, patients, tourists, and office workers. However, the sudden decision to charge Rs100 as parking fee per visit has changed the situation dramatically.
The most troubling aspect of the policy is its impact on hospitals and medical centers operating in the area. Patients and their attendants, many already burdened by medical expenses, are now forced to pay parking charges every single time they visit a hospital. In cases where patients require regular treatment or repeated consultations, the parking fee becomes an additional and unnecessary hardship.
Coffee shops, cafes, and small businesses are also feeling the impact. Owners complain that customers are now avoiding the area because they do not want to pay hefty parking charges simply to sit for a short meeting or enjoy a cup of coffee. The reduced footfall is hurting businesses that were already struggling under rising operational costs and economic uncertainty.
Citizens are also questioning CDA’s priorities and planning failures. Many argue that every commercial building, plaza, hotel, or hospital should have been required to provide adequate parking space before receiving construction approval. Yet, most of the buildings in the extended Blue Area were reportedly allowed to operate without proper parking arrangements. Critics ask a valid question: where was CDA when these plazas and commercial buildings were being constructed without sufficient parking facilities?
Instead of holding powerful builders and plaza owners accountable, the burden is now being shifted onto ordinary citizens. The developers and owners who earned millions from commercial projects appear untouched, while visitors are forced to bear the cost of CDA’s poor urban planning.
Islamabad residents believe the policy reflects a deeper governance problem where authorities prefer easy revenue collection over practical public service solutions. Rather than introducing punitive parking fees, CDA should focus on building proper parking plazas, enforcing construction regulations, and ensuring that commercial projects meet basic urban planning standards.
If corrective measures are not taken, the extended Blue Area risks losing its attractiveness as a public-friendly commercial center, ultimately harming both businesses and the people it was meant to serve.=DNA
