Proposal to impose parking fee at Margalla Hills Park

Islamabad: The climate change ministry is evaluating a proposal to impose parking fee on the vehicles that are parked in green patches near posh restaurants in the Margalla Hills National Park (MHNP).

According to the details, the ministry has been receiving reports for quite some time stating that hundreds of visitors who enjoy food at the posh restaurants parked their vehicles on green areas due to shortage of proper parking facilities.

The proposed Nature Conservation Act already supports imposition of fee on motorists who enter into vicinity of the MHNP. Now the introduction of parking fee can generate funds for protection and preservation of natural environment of the national park. An official said “We have reports that a large number of vehicles are parked on green surfaces around the posh restaurants. So we have an option to impose parking fee and we are also giving it a serious thought.”

The conservationists have been continuously urging the government to make necessary amendments to the legislative framework guiding the conservation and protection of the hills, especially focusing on land-use change, eye-soaring construction, heavy streetlights and increasing vehicular traffic. The Islamabad Wildlife Management Board (IWMB) submitted a Project Concept (PC-I) to the climate change ministry in December last year.

Environmentally hazardous practices in the MNHP, including smoking, barbecue and littering, have already been outlawed in order to protect the diverse wildlife area. The spokesperson of the climate change ministry said that they have already imposed fine on entering into the restricted areas of the national park, adding “There is also a proposal to introduce entry and parking fee in the national park and we will take appropriate decision in this respect.”