The completion timeline for the Rawalpindi Ring Road has been extended, with the project now expected to be finished between May 30 and June 30 due to delays in the construction of the Thallian Interchange linking it to the motorway network.
The delay is attributed to the upgrade of the Thallian Interchange into a broad-based facility, which has increased both the scope and cost of the project.
Meanwhile, work on the Kachehry Chowk Interchange Project has reached 88 percent completion, and the interchange, which includes flyovers and underpasses, is likely to be opened for traffic by May 10.
Both projects are expected to be inaugurated by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz, although authorities are also considering opening them to traffic ahead of the formal inauguration.
Progress on the Rawalpindi Ring Road remains ongoing, with around 70 percent of the carpeting work completed so far, while construction continues on multiple bridges along the route.
Work is also underway on five interchanges located at Banth, Chak Beli Khan Road, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and Thallian.
The 38.6-kilometre project, stretching from Banth Interchange on GT Road to Thallian Interchange, is estimated to cost Rs. 42 billion, with an additional Rs. 5 billion allocated for the interchange upgrade.
Separately, under the supervision of the National Highway Authority (NHA), work on linking the project to Motorways M-1 and M-2, along with a connection to Sangjani, is still pending and expected to add further costs.
Authorities are also planning to utilize 500 metres of land on both sides of the route for the development of transport terminals, markets, an expo centre, an IT zone, as well as education, health, and industrial areas.
