Rawalpindi to Rehabilitate Nine Major Roads by December

Rawalpindi drivers should prepare for more road work soon, as the city has approved nine rehabilitation projects worth Rs. 1.6 billion, with officials setting a December 31 deadline for completion.

The projects have been handed to the Communication and Works Department because the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation said it does not have enough capacity to carry out the work itself. The civic body will provide the money, while the department will handle execution within the corporation’s area, according to the source reports.

The list covers some of the city’s busiest corridors. These include Khyaban-e-Sir Syed Road, Bokra Road, 5th Road, Rawal Road from Ali Nawaz Chowk to Murree Road, Chandani Chowk Commercial Market Road, Railway Workshop Road, China Market-Gordon College Road, Satellite Town 4th B Road, and Band Khana Road.

According to the source reports, the roads vary in length from about 0.8km to 2.4km. Individual project costs are said to range from roughly Rs. 115 million to Rs. 248 million.

For daily commuters, the biggest short-term effect will likely be disruption. Once work starts, drivers can expect slower movement, possible lane closures, construction vehicles, and delays near market areas and connecting roads. No detailed traffic plan was included in the source reports, so drivers should follow only official updates from the district administration and traffic police.

The Divisional Development Working Party has told the department to start work as soon as possible and finish all nine projects by December 31, according to the reports. The administration has also asked for proper construction material quality to be maintained throughout the work. That matters because road users will judge the final result not only by fresh asphalt, but also by drainage, surface strength, lane markings, and safe traffic flow around the work zones.

Three more road projects from Rawalpindi’s local bodies are also in the pipeline, but they are not yet approved for construction. These include Ch. Bostan Khan Road from Chaklala Scheme-III to the Lahore High Court Rawalpindi Bench, Chakri Road, and the road leading toward Falcon Chowk along Islamabad Expressway. According to the source reports, these have been sent to the Provincial Development Working Party and can only move ahead if approval and funding are granted.

For Rawalpindi residents, this is a useful but limited step. If the work is done on time and done well, it could improve some of the city’s most used routes. But the benefit will depend on how smoothly the city manages the construction phase.

For related background on road progress in the city, see Rawalpindi Ring Road 90% Complete, Latest Progress and Expected Opening Date and Rawalpindi Ring Road Nears Finish: 80% Done with New Interchange.

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