Ring Road awaits inauguration

Revised PC-I worth Rs46.64b approved; inauguration monument under construction

RAWALPINDI:

The Rawalpindi Ring Road project has reached completion and is now awaiting inauguration.

A revised PC-I worth Rs46.64 billion has been approved, and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz is expected to inaugurate the project at the GT Road Banth Interchange once a date is finalised.

According to sources, the project, executed by the Rawalpindi Development Authority and pending for nearly 25 years, has finally been completed. Carpeting of the main 38.6-kilometre route from Banth Interchange to GT Road and Thalian Motorway has been completed, while shoulder carpeting is continuing.

The four major interchanges at GT Road Banth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala and Chakri have already been completed. Sources said a notification for land acquisition for the Thalian Interchange is expected this week, while construction of the broader interchange will be finished later at an estimated cost of Rs4.7 billion, including land acquisition and construction expenses.

Despite the incomplete Thalian Interchange, the Ring Road has been connected to the motorway to ensure traffic flow. Sources said repeated changes in the interchange's geometry and configuration increased its cost from Rs1.2 billion to Rs4.7 billion. Design updates and technical clearances by NESPAK also affected progress. Construction work at the Thalian Interchange is expected to begin formally in July 2026.

The Ring Road is almost complete, and residents are awaiting its formal inauguration. Approval has also been granted through the Punjab Industrial Estates Development and Management Company (PIEDMC) forum for establishing industrial estates along both sides of the road, with final approval to be obtained from the Punjab Assembly.