RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration has extended the deadline for the completion of the Rawalpindi GPO Chowk underpass to June 30. The underpass, being built on The Mall at a cost of Rs4.6 billion, has created severe traffic problems in Saddar, with Haider Road being the only alternate route for motorists.
Earlier, Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had set May 31 as the deadline for both the Nawaz Sharif Flyover and the GPO underpass, but the projects were not completed on time. Her planned visit to Rawalpindi on June 2 was also postponed due to the delay in construction.
Officials now say the work will be finished after Eidul Azha, with the new deadline fixed for June 30.
A senior officer from the Communication and Works Department said that one side of the underpass has already been carpeted, and the other side will be completed by Saturday. Construction of service roads along The Mall will start on Sunday and is expected to finish within a week. The entire project, including lighting, will be completed by the new deadline.
A drainage line has been laid to carry rainwater to a nullah near Punjsarki Chowk on Sarwar Road, which also serves as an alternate route. The official said that managing traffic while continuing construction was difficult, but work on Sarwar Road was completed on time.
Regarding the Nawaz Sharif Flyover, the official said it is now open to traffic. Work on the service roads is ongoing and should finish within a week. Iesco is also relocating electricity poles, but work was paused during the Eid holidays.
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Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Aamer Khattak visited the newly completed flyover and the under-construction GPO underpass to check on progress. He was briefed by the Highways Department and Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) officials.
The commissioner said the Nawaz Sharif Flyover was completed in just 120 days and has greatly eased traffic on Adiala Road, benefiting around 79,000 vehicles daily.
He also reviewed work at the GPO Chowk and TM Chowk underpasses and was informed that 88% of the work has been completed. He urged departments to speed up work and ensure quality, along with proper facilities and parking for businesses affected by the construction.
In another major development, work on the Rawalpindi Ring Road (R3) is progressing steadily and is expected to be completed by the end of this year. The Rs32.996 billion project is over 38km long and is seen as a game-changer for the region.
The project aims to reduce traffic congestion in Rawalpindi and Islamabad, home to around 3.5 million people. Currently, all heavy transport passes through the urban center using the N-5 highway, leading to regular traffic jams.
The Punjab government launched the Ring Road project to divert heavy vehicles away from the city. The road starts from Baanth on GT Road and connects to Thallian Interchange on Motorway M-2, improving travel times and easing traffic.
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The project, under the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), also aims to boost economic activity by creating commercial zones along the route and improving access to areas like the New Islamabad International Airport. It will also connect to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), enhancing regional trade and connectivity.
Although the plan was proposed in the early 1990s, actual construction started only recently, with FWO as the main contractor.
The road is expected to change the city’s development pattern, as business activity is likely to shift around the new corridor. The district’s master plan, which supports this shift, is also expected to be approved later this year.
