Pindi eyes infrastructure expansion

Rawalpindi's road infrastructure advancement plans are set to witness a new boost with three more underpasses on Peshawar Road to create a signal-free corridor from Maraka-e-Haq Square to Motorway Chowk.

The journey of road infrastructure advancement on Rawalpindi's Murree Road, which started with two flyovers, has now reached the completion stage of a state-of-the-art project at Kutchery Chowk named Maraka-e-Haq Square, comprising two flyovers, three underpasses and two overhead pedestrian bridges, in addition to the metro bus service and six underpasses and three flyovers already constructed in the twin cities.

The process for the construction of three more underpasses on Peshawar Road has also begun. An underpass is also proposed on Double Road, Ninth Avenue, while a flyover at Ammar Shaheed Chowk and an underpass at AFIC Chowk will also be constructed.

After the Metro Bus Service, the Green Bus Service has also been launched in Rawalpindi.

According to sources, keeping in view Rawalpindi's status as the twin city of the federal capital Islamabad, work is underway on plans to modernise and expand road infrastructure to cope with increasing traffic pressure in the present and future.

Initially, the project started with the construction of two flyovers at Chandni Chowk and Sixth Road on Murree Road. In the second phase, the Metro Bus Service between Rawalpindi and Islamabad was launched in 2014.

Before that, Committee Chowk Underpass, Ammar Shaheed Chowk Underpass, Old Airport Road Flyover, Adiala Road Khawaja Corporation Chowk Nawaz Sharif Flyover, Saddar Flashman Chowk, GPO Chowk, Pirwadhai Mor and Golra Mor underpasses, and Pirwadhai Mor flyover had already been completed.

Now, construction work on three underpasses at Qasim Market Chowk, Qabristan Chowk and Charing Cross Chowk on Peshawar Road is underway, while projects for an underpass at AFIC Chowk and a flyover at Ammar Shaheed Chowk are under consideration.

Similarly, under the Rawalpindi Development Authority, a plan is also under consideration for the construction of an underpass at Ninth Avenue connecting Double Road with Islamabad, where a flyover already exists, so that this route linking Rawalpindi with Islamabad after Faizabad can also become signal-free.

It is worth mentioning that after completion of the three underpasses on Peshawar Road, a completely signal-free corridor from Maraka-e-Haq Square to Motorway Chowk will become available, ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow towards Islamabad Airport, Peshawar, Lahore and Hazara Motorway through this route.

Moreover, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz inaugurated the Kachery Chowk project in Rawalpindi.

It may be recalled that more than 200,000 vehicles will pass daily through the signal-free corridor in Rawalpindi's busiest area.

A state-of-the-art pedestrian bridge has also been constructed at Maraka-e-Haq Square. Two phases of the signal-free corridor from Rawat to Motorway have been completed, while the third phase will soon be completed.

Speaking on the occasion, the chief minister said the signal-free corridor would transform Rawalpindi's urban culture and provide state-of-the-art traffic facilities to the public.