RR phase-I faces likely delay again

Project now expected to be completed by mid-April instead of March 30

RAWALPINDI:

The completion of Rawalpindi Ring Road Phase-I, which could not be finished in 2025 despite a deadline set by the Punjab chief minister, is now expected to be completed by mid-April instead of March 30 this year.

According to sources in the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), 85 percent of the asphalt work on the 30-kilometre route has been completed and the project is likely to be finished by the middle of next month.

The Rawalpindi Ring Road route starts from Banth Mor on GT Road and ends at Thalian Interchange on the motorway after covering a distance of 38.6 kilometres.

The cost of the project has increased from Rs33 billion to Rs50 billion.

During a site inspection of the project, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had given a deadline of December 30, 2025 for its completion, but the work could not be finished by that date. Later, a new deadline of March 30, 2026 was given.

However, according to the progress report on March 8, RDA sources now claim that the work will likely be completed by mid-April.

Work on Phase-II of the Ring Road and the proposed project to convert Thalian Interchange into a broad-based interchange has also not been completed.

It may be noted that planning has also been done to utilise 500 metres of land on both sides for transport terminals and markets, education and health zones, industrial zones, an expo centre and entertainment zones.

However, the completion of Phase-I of the Ring Road once again appears to be facing further delay.

The Rawalpindi Ring Road project had remained stalled for 17 years and came to be known as the missing link of Rawalpindi. For the first time, during the current Punjab government's tenure, work on the project has continued consistently over the past two years.

Nevertheless, the project's final completion deadline has been revised three to four times so far.

The Rawalpindi Ring Road project is considered not merely an alternative traffic route but also a project with extraordinary significance for the establishment of economic zones.