K-P mulls Rs60b second ring road in Peshawar

Project to help improve transportation in city's southern areas

PESHAWAR:

The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government was considering construction of a second ring road to address growing traffic congestion and improve transportation in the city's southern areas, with the project's preliminary cost estimated between Rs50 billion to Rs60 billion. The proposal was reviewed during a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Sohail Afridi, where officials discussed various aspects of the proposed outer ring road for southern Peshawar.

According to the briefing, the proposed road would be approximately 31 kilometers long and pass through several southern localities of the provincial capital, helping divert traffic away from congested urban routes, said an official.

The chief minister directed authorities to incorporate suitable interchanges in the project to facilitate commuters and ensure that the planning takes into account the city's future transport needs. He also instructed officials to coordinate with the National Highway Authority (NHA) for establishing an interchange at the Peshawar Bus Terminal so that traffic can directly access the terminal without entering the city.

The meeting also reviewed the possibility of including a dedicated track for the Peshawar Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) along the new ring road to further strengthen the public transport system.