Rawalpindi Ring Road Opening Delayed Again

The Rawalpindi Ring Road project, a long-awaited 38.3-kilometre road, has once again faced a delay, marking its sixth postponement since construction began nearly two decades ago. Despite being a cornerstone of Pakistan's infrastructure, the project's cost has ballooned from the initial Rs26.9 billion estimate to an alarming Rs58 billion, and is expected to reach Rs60 billion by completion.

This financial strain is due to various factors, including the incomplete installation of crucial tolling and traffic management systems, such as the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and electronic toll collection system.

The project, which was conceived during the tenure of former Punjab chief minister Chaudhry Parvez Elahi and saw its foundation stone laid by former prime minister Imran Khan, is designed to alleviate heavy traffic in both Rawalpindi and Islamabad. The Banth interchange, marking the road's starting point, along with the Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road and Chakri interchanges, have been completed. However, the Thallian interchange, located near the road's endpoint, remains unfinished.

The Rawalpindi commissioner has set a tentative date of November for the road's full opening to traffic, aiming to significantly reduce traffic congestion in the cities. Meanwhile, another project, the Islamabad Ring Road connecting Taxila to Bharakahu and Bharakahu to Rawat-Banth, has been set a completion deadline of June 30, 2028.

Once both roads are completed, they will form a wider network connecting multiple cities, allowing heavy vehicles to bypass the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, thereby improving traffic flow and enhancing connectivity between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Punjab.