RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Ring Road project will not be completed by the end of December, despite the deadline set earlier by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Officials now say the project will need at least three more months, with completion expected by March 2026.
A senior official from the divisional administration told Newspaper that 75% of the multi-billion-rupee project has been completed so far. He said there are three major reasons behind the delay.
According to him, the first reason is the slow supply of stone to the construction site. The Punjab government recently banned the overloading of trucks on the Grand Trunk Road, which has reduced the amount of stone transported daily. “Earlier, each loader brought 8,000 cubic feet of stone. Now we receive only 4,000 cubic feet,” he said.
He explained that stone is needed for water channels, retaining walls, stone pitching, and the gravel layers used in road building.
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The second reason for the delay is the addition of new components to the project, including the Thalian Interchange at the motorway and the construction of toll plazas. These were not part of the original plan and will take more time to complete.
The official also said the revised PC-I of the project is still pending with the Housing and Urban Development Department. Once approved, it will be forwarded to the Planning and Development Department for final approval, after which more funds will be released.
He confirmed that the project management unit, with the help of Nespak, has prepared a revised PC-I to increase the project cost from Rs33 billion to Rs45 billion. The revised plan will be sent to the Punjab government through the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) for approval.
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The increase in the total cost is due to three major factors, he added, without giving details.
When contacted, Deputy Project Director of the Rawalpindi Ring Road, Ashfaq Sulheri, said the project is expected to be completed by March next year, not by December as earlier announced.
He said asphalt work on nine kilometres of the road has been completed, and the remaining work is progressing. He said the department is trying to ensure better construction quality by learning from issues faced in earlier road projects in Islamabad.
He also confirmed that the revised PC-I was prepared with Nespak and has been sent to Lahore through the RDA. He said changes in the project, such as the motorway interchange and toll plazas, made the revision necessary.
“To prevent flood-like situations, we are constructing waterways along the road and interchanges, which also requires extra time,” he added.
He said the Soan Bridge has been completed, while work on the railway bridge is in progress, and girder casting has begun. Asphalt work on the main road has also started, with more than one kilometre completed so far.
The Rawalpindi Ring Road is 38.3 km long and will include five interchanges: Baanth, Chak Baili Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and Thalian. An industrial zone will also be developed along the route. The road will be a six-lane controlled-access corridor with a design speed of 120 km/h.
