The long-awaited project for the dualisation of the Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road, one of the most critical routes linking Rawalpindi to Azad Kashmir, has been officially incorporated into the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for the fiscal year 2025-26.
The project also encompasses the construction of a four-lane overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate and the development of bypasses at Sihala and Kahuta. The total cost of the project is estimated to exceed Rs23.84 billion. Upon completion, the travel time between Rawalpindi and Kahuta will be reduced to just 40 minutes.
The 28.4-kilometre stretch from Kacheri Chowk in Rawalpindi to Main Bazaar in Kahuta, passing through Sihala, serves as a vital link connecting to two key routes leading to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir. Currently, the absence of a dual carriageway and an overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, accidents, and daily casualties along this critical corridor.
The severely deteriorated condition of the single-lane road has stretched what should be a one-hour journey into a two to two-and-a-half-hour ordeal.
Increasing traffic pressure on this narrow route continuously hampers traffic flow.
To address these issues, the project has now been incorporated into the PSDP under the supervision of the National Highway Authority (NHA) as part of the ongoing development program in the federal budget.
The project got approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 27, 2023. It includes the dualisation of the Kahuta Road, construction of the overhead bridge at the Sihala railway crossing, development of bypasses in Sihala and Kahuta, compensation for displaced properties, and the relocation of utility services.
It is worth noting that the Rawalpindi-Kahuta route via Sihala is the shortest path to several key destinations. Besides providing direct access to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir, this route also connects Kahuta to Matur, Bewar, and Kallar Syedan via Chowk Pandori, as well as Kotli Sattian and Murree.
Given the importance of this corridor, the need to dualise the Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road and construct an overhead bridge at the Sihala Railway Gate has been long-standing. Successive governments have made repeated promises to initiate and complete the project, but it remained unfinished, resulting in ongoing difficulties for commuters.
Sources say this route is an existing but incomplete NHA project. While some work had previously begun, it was left unfinished. However, it has now been decided to complete the project as swiftly as possible. The route falls under both Punjab and federal jurisdictions: from Kacheri Chowk to Sawan in Rawalpindi, including the Model Town Industrial Triangle to Sihala and Ari Syedan, the area lies within Islamabad territory; from Ari Syedan to Kahuta, the road falls under the jurisdiction of Punjab.
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