Islamabad to Open Pedestrian-Only Food Street on Jinnah Avenue by Year-End

Islamabad is set to launch its first pedestrian-only food street on Jinnah Avenue by December 31, 2025, with the Capital Development Authority (CDA) fast-tracking construction. The project will upgrade an 800-foot stretch of the Blue Area into a walkable, traffic-free zone modeled after Istanbul’s Istiklal Street and Lahore’s Nizami Street. CDA said the food street will include 18–20 architecturally designed kiosks offering a variety of local foods, with work underway in multiple shifts to meet the deadline.A new 1,000-vehicle parking plaza has already been completed, and more parking sites are being finalized to address traders’ concerns. CDA clarified it will hire a third-party operator to manage the food street, handle stall auctions, and maintain services. Officials expect the project to boost tourism, improve urban mobility and strengthen commercial activity in Islamabad’s core business district.