The Rawalpindi Ring Road project, one of the city’s most anticipated infrastructure ventures, faces further setbacks as its completion deadline of December 2025 is now unlikely to be met. Originally estimated at Rs. 32.9 billion, the project’s cost is projected to rise by nearly 40 to 50 percent due to inflation and delays.
Officials revealed that around 70 percent of the 38.3-kilometer road has been completed, but progress slowed significantly in recent weeks because of persistent monsoon rains. Work is expected to pick up pace once weather conditions improve.
Authorities are currently preparing a revised PC-I to adjust for increased construction material prices and vehicle charges that have surged over the last two years. This updated plan will first be reviewed by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) before being forwarded to Ecnec for approval.
Another bottleneck lies in connecting traffic from Thalian to the motorway. While the National Highway Authority (NHA) intends to add two more lanes for smoother traffic flow, its expansion project has yet to move forward.
In the meantime, the Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has volunteered to fund a one-kilometer merging road itself to ease the situation.
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Deputy Project Director Ashfaq Sulheri confirmed that the completion timeline will be extended. However, he noted that the government will only approve a 44 percent increase in costs, compared to the 50 percent requested by FWO. The Ring Road will feature five key interchanges at Baanth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and Thalian—where construction activity is still ongoing.
Despite hurdles, officials stress that the Rawalpindi Ring Road project remains a top priority and is expected to reshape regional connectivity once completed.
