Rawalpindi:
The long-awaited project for the dualization of the Rawalpindi-Kahuta road, one of the most critical roads connecting Rawalpindi to the Azad Cashmere, was officially incorporated into the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) for the 2025-26 financial year.
The project also includes the construction of a four -track air bridge at the Sihala railway door and the development of bypass in Sihala and Kahuta. The total cost of the project should exceed 23.84 billion rupees. At the end, the journey time between Rawalpindi and Kahuta will be reduced to only 40 minutes.
The extending 28.4 kilometers of Kacheri Chowk to Rawalpindi to the main bazaar in Kahuta, via Sihala, serves as a vital link connecting two key routes leading to Kotli and Rawalakot to Azad Cashmire. Currently, the absence of a double car road and an air bridge at the Sihala railway door has led to frequent congestion of traffic, accidents and daily victims along this critical corridor.
The seriously deteriorated state from the road to one way has extended what should be an hour’s trip to an event from two to two to two hours.
The increase in traffic pressure on this narrow road continuously hinders the traffic flow.
To solve these problems, the project has now been integrated into the PSDP under the supervision of the National Highway Authority (NHA) as part of the current development program in the federal budget.
The project obtained the approval of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 27, 2023. It includes the dualization of the Kahuta road, the construction of the air bridge at the crossing of the Sihala railways, the development of bypass in Sihala and Kahuta, the compensation for the displaced properties and the relocation of public services.
It should be noted that the Rawalpindi-Kahuta route via Sihala is the shortest path to several key destinations. In addition to providing direct access to Kotli and Rawalakot to Azad Cachemire, this road also connects Kahuta to Matur, Bewar and Kallar Syedan via Chowk Pandori, as well as Kotli Sattian and Murrier.
Given the importance of this corridor, the need to darken the Rawalpindi-Kahuta road and build a rose bridge at the Sihala railway door has been for a long time. Successive governments have made repeated promises to initiate and finish the project, but it remained unfinished, leading to current difficulties.
Sources indicate that this path is an existing but incomplete NHA project. While work had already started, it was left unfinished. However, it has now been decided to complete the project as quickly as possible. The route is both the courts of the Pendjab and the Federal: from Kacheri Chowk to Sawan in Rawalpindi, including the industrial triangle of the model city in Sihala and Ari Syedan, the region is in the territory of Islamabad; From Ari Syedan to Kahuta, the road falls under the jurisdiction of Punjab.
