Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road work still stalled

Dualisation of Kahuta-Soan Road and flyover at Sihala Railway Crossing yet to start

RAWALPINDI:

Eight months into fiscal year 2025-26, work has yet to formally begin on the mega road infrastructure project announced in the federal budget, including dualisation of Soan Model Town-Sihala-Kahuta Road, construction of a flyover at Sihala Railway Crossing, and Kahuta Bypass.

In June 2025, Rs23.84 billion were allocated for the project. The route also holds the status of a defence road due to its linkage beyond Kahuta to Azad Kashmir's Rawalakot and Kotli.

Despite the passage of eight months, work on Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road remains slow. A two-kilometre stretch from Kahuta Y-Cross to Hothla Stop was widened and carpeted but subsequently closed, and work has not resumed after realignment.

The entire 28.4-kilometre stretch from Kahuta to Rawalpindi Sawan is to be dualised. However, work halted at Hothla Stop, and marking for the remaining 26.4 kilometres has not yet been carried out. Construction of the overhead bridge at Sihala Railway Crossing has also not begun.

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 27, 2023. Funds were allocated in the current federal budget after earlier delays in execution.

Due to delay in dualisation from Rawalpindi Soan Camp to Kahuta city, increasing traffic pressure has caused difficulties for citizens, road accidents and business disruption.

Traffic from Rawalpindi to Kahuta and onward to Rawalakot and Kotli in Azad Kashmir, as well as return traffic, faces persistent delays. Citizens say if the road is dualised along with the flyover, the 40-kilometre journey from Rawalpindi Katchehry to Kahuta Katchehry could be completed in 30 to 40 minutes, easing movement toward Azad Kashmir.