Major infrastructure breakthrough promises much-needed relief for millions of daily commuters
RAWALPINDI:
For decades, traffic jams have marked daily life in Rawalpindi. Now, an ambitious wave of infrastructure development promises to redraw the city’s roadmap and ease the burden on millions of commuters.
Under a Rs 33 billion programme, the garrison town is being transformed into a signal-free city through the construction of flyovers, underpasses and redesigned junctions at long-standing choke points.
Commissioner Engineer Aamir Khattak recently confirmed that work on the mega projects was going smoothly and on schedule. The projects target some of the city’s most congested intersections, including Kachehri Chowk, Jinnah Park, Iftikhar Janjua Road, Annex Road and Ammar Chowk, as well as three major underpasses on Peshawar Road at Race Course Ground, Army Graveyard Road and Charing Cross.
Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi’s busiest thoroughfare, is at the heart of this transformation. The three multi-billion rupee underpasses, part of the annual development program 2025-2026, will create a continuous signal-free route from Ammar Chowk to the highway entrance at Chungi No. 26, benefiting nearly two million residents and around 250,000 daily commuters.
The Race Course Ground (Qasim Market) underpass, costing Rs 3.091 billion, alone handles over 250,000 vehicles per day. It includes a single-barrel, two-lane structure spanning 1,886 feet, as well as 1.8 miles of road repairs. The Army Graveyard Chowk underpass (Rs 2.679 billion) and Charing Cross underpass (Rs 2.9 billion) follow similar designs, each incorporating U-turn facilities to improve access to GT Road.
According to Rana Qamar Ali, Executive Engineer (EXEN), Punjab Highways, the three underpasses are expected to be completed by June next year. “Together, they will transform Peshawar Road into a smooth, signal-free corridor and significantly improve connectivity,” he said.
Beyond road construction, the plan also addresses parking chaos. A Rs1.6 billion parking area is being constructed on unused land in Jinnah Park, while five additional parking areas have been identified in Saddar and Cantonment areas. The allocations include Rs5.9 billion for Kachehri Chowk, Rs3.9 billion for Annex Chowk and Rs2.6 billion for Iftikhar Janjua Chowk. The renovation of Kachehri Chowk is expected to be completed by May 31 next year.
Previous projects, including the GPO underpass and TM Chowk remodeling, are already easing traffic flow, while the Nawaz Sharif flyover on Adiala Road has transformed a once-broken route into a seamless link to the under-construction Ring Road.
The larger vision is anchored in the 38-kilometre Rawalpindi ring road project, which the chief minister has asked officials to expedite despite earlier delays. Once completed, the project, comprising five interchanges, several bridges, underpasses and viaducts, is expected to unlock economic growth and significantly improve mobility in the region.
However, even if residents and merchants welcome these historic investments, concerns persist. Murree Road, the main socio-economic axis of the city, continues to be choked, especially at Liaqat Bagh Chowk, where traffic from Marir Chowk and Tipu Road often comes to a standstill for hours. Traders say lane expansion alone won’t solve the problem and are calling for targeted interventions at this critical intersection.
However, the scale and coordination of the Punjab government’s projects mark a turning point for Rawalpindi. If the deadlines are met, the city could soon shed its reputation for gridlock and emerge with roads built for flow, not frustration.
