Authorities have launched an infrastructure upgrade on Rawalpindi's Mall Road, aiming to make key intersections signal-free and improve traffic flow.
Work has officially begun with the closure of Mall Road for traffic at TM Chowk, Mall Plaza Chowk, and Five Star Hotel Chowk.
The project involves the construction of a fish-belly U-turn and an underpass pedestrian walkway between Medicine Market and AFIC.
The Communication and Works Department (C&W), the executing agency, has assigned the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) a completion deadline of three to four months.
Additionally, plans are underway to include the construction of an underpass at the highly congested Qasim Market Chowk in Punjab's Annual Development Program (ADP).
The Punjab government has allocated Rs4.38 billion for the Mall Road Infrastructure Upgradation Project.
The project is being overseen by NESPAK Private Limited as a consultant, with the FWO handling construction.
To ensure swift completion, authorities have decided to continue work round the clock.
Once completed, the project will eliminate three traffic signalsat Five Star Hotel Chowk, TM Chowk, and Mall Plaza Chowkimproving traffic flow.
However, four key signals at MH Chowk, Qasim Market Chowk, Racecourse Chowk, and Charing Cross Chowk will remain operational, with Qasim Market Chowk expected to face the heaviest congestion.
To address this, an underpass at Qasim Market Chowk has been proposed for the next fiscal year's ADP. A senior C&W official confirmed the proposal's inclusion.
Due to ongoing construction, traffic from Peshawar Road has been rerouted through Qasim Market Chowk to Kacheri Chowk.
Additional diversions have been put in place at MH Chowk.
The Punjab government has already released the first instalment of Rs200 million for the project, with the remaining funds to be disbursed in phases.
Currently, eight traffic signals are operational between Kacheri Chowk and Charing Cross on Mall Road, causing severe congestion.
The planned removal of three of these signals is expected to ease some of the burden, though Qasim Market Chowk is projected to experience higher congestion until its underpass is completed.
Rawalpindi's Mall Road is one of the busiest routes, catering to traffic from multiple entry points, including Saddar, Murree Road, Railway Station, RA Bazaar, Tench Bhatta, Abid Majeed Road, Range Road, Westridge-III, Chohar Misyari Road, and Kacheri Chowk.
The excessive traffic load, combined with an overburdened signal system, often results in long queues, with drivers frequently running red lights out of frustration.
Authorities hope the project will provide long-term relief to the city's growing traffic woes, though challenges remain, particularly at Qasim Market Chowk.
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