Two viaducts and three underpasses built in 187 days to allow traffic without lights
RAWALPINDI:
The state-of-the-art District Court Chowk underpass and overbridge project has been officially completed, and all groundbreaking arrangements are now finalized ahead of the official opening scheduled for Sunday afternoon.
The mega infrastructure development, officially designated “Marka-e-Haq Square”, includes two viaducts, three underpasses and two steel pedestrian bridges. The project was reportedly completed in 187 days at an estimated cost of around Rs 19 billion.
Construction work on the project began on November 3, 2025. To accelerate progress, construction operations reportedly continued in three shifts around the clock, allowing the project to be completed ahead of schedule.
An inauguration plaque bearing the name of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has already been installed, while a full rehearsal of the opening ceremony has also concluded. Immediately after the inauguration, the interchange should be open to uninterrupted traffic without lights.
Amid strict confidentiality and limited public visibility, final preparations for the official inauguration of the Kachehri Chowk flyover have entered their final stages. Development activities continued at an accelerated pace, with significant landscaping and finishing works carried out across the entire site.
Large ornamental trees, flowering plants and decorative foliage were transported on heavy trailers and installed around the interchange, while fresh turf was laid along flyover corridors, adjacent service roads and surrounding shoulders.
Testing of the LED lighting and decorative lighting systems was completed overnight. More than 100 sanitation workers are said to have been urgently deployed to undertake cleaning and preparation of the site, while carpeting and final finishing works have also been completed.
CM Maryam is expected to attend the inauguration as the chief guest. Aamir Khattak and Hassan Waqar Cheema will host the ceremony. Official invitations have been issued, while overall security guidelines have also been finalized.
The Kachehri Chowk development is described as one of the most sophisticated urban infrastructure projects in Rawalpindi. Since November 2025, the projected cost would have increased gradually, approaching nearly Rs19b due to the expansion of the elevated crossing component.
The wider project includes underpasses, overbridges and a modern six-sided pedestrian bridge, which is said to be in the final stages of completion.
The landscaping under the viaducts has been finalized, while the lighting and traffic signaling systems are now fully operational. Carpeting works on the two viaducts and four adjacent service roads have also been completed.
Following the opening of Maarka-e-Haq Square, uninterrupted traffic flow is expected along Mall Road, Jhelum Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Old Airport Road and adjacent arterial roads, significantly reducing the long-standing traffic jams in the city.
Residents welcomed the timely completion of the project and expressed optimism that it will significantly improve urban mobility in Rawalpindi.
The digital billboard screens installed at Maarka-e-Haq Square feature images of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, PML-N boss Nawaz Sharif and Punjab CM Maryam Nawaz.
A white marble memorial gate associated with Maarka-e-Haq Buny?n al-Mars?s was also erected, while the renaming of Kachehri Chowk was touted as a tribute to the Pakistan Armed Forces personnel who took part in the operation.
