Ring Road faces another 'roadblock'

The construction of the 38.3-kilometre Rawalpindi Ring Road once again faced the prospect of disruption as landowners affected by the development staged a peaceful, hour-long protest on Wednesday outside the office of Rawalpindi Division Commissioner Aamir Khattak, demanding compensation that has yet to be paid.

Carrying placards and banners, the protesters raised slogans for their dues and issued a 15-day ultimatum, warning that if payments were not made within two weeks, they would hold large-scale demonstrations with their families and block both the GT Road and the Motorway.

According to the leaders of the Ring Road Affected Landowners' Action Committee, they aren't begging, but are demanding their rightful entitlement. The Ring Road project has reached its final stages, yet landowners remain unpaid.

The affectees have been given false assurances time and again, but the committee will no longer accept delays. If compensation is not released within 15 days, the protesting members will shut down the GT Road.

They emphasised that the land in question was inherited from their forefathers and must be compensated fairly. "Each landowner deserves their rightful share. We will not leave until our dues are settled. Otherwise, we will dismantle the project's machinery brick by brick."

According to official records, a total of 8,992 kanals of land were acquired for the project, with Rs5.9 billion earmarked for compensation. The sum was due to be disbursed in full by March 31, 2025, but payments remain outstanding, fuelling discontent.

Protesters also threatened to set up makeshift camps on their ancestral land with their families if dues were not cleared, vowing not to vacate until paid.

The Rawalpindi Ring Road was inaugurated by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in March 2022, with an initial completion deadline of March 31, 2024. Owing to repeated delays, the deadline has now been extended to December 31, 2025. Stretching 38.3 kilometres, the six-lane Ring Road will start near Banth on the GT Road, close to Rawat, and terminate at Thalian near the Motorway. The project design includes five interchanges (Banth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and Thalian), a railway bridge near Banth, 13 overpasses, 10 subways, two high-level bridges, five additional bridges over water channels, and 49 box culverts.

Plans also envisage the creation of an industrial zone along the route, the declaration of adjoining land as commercial, and permission for multi-storey buildings and plazas of between three and 10 storeys on both sides. Service roads will accompany the main carriageway, while tree plantations, recreational areas, benches, and flowerbeds will enhance the environment. Work is being carried out under a strict quality assurance mechanism.