Only about 1km of road widening, carpeting completed, no progress on remaining 27.4km.
RAWALPINDI:
Despite the allocation of Rs23.84 billion in the Federal Budget 2025-26 for dualization of the Soan Camp-Model Town-Kahuta road (28.4 km), as well as the Sihala railway flyover and Kahuta bypass project, the construction work has failed to progress beyond one kilometer even after 11 months.
According to details, the mega infrastructure project, approved by ECNEC on July 27, 2023, aimed to upgrade the key Rawalpindi-Kahuta road into a two-lane road and improve connectivity with Azad Kashmir via Rawalakot and Kotli, giving it strategic importance as a defense-related road.
However, despite the budgetary allocations in the current financial year, no significant development work has taken place. Only about one kilometer of road widening and resurfacing between Kahuta Y-Cross and Hothla Stop was completed before work stopped, with no visible progress on the remaining 27.4km or marking for dualisation.
The Sihala railway crossing flyover project component has also not been launched, further delaying the overall project.
The slow pace of construction has worsened traffic jams on the route, causing daily hardships for commuters, including frequent accidents, delays and disruption to business and official travel.
