A major element of the proposed Rawalpindi Ring Road (R3) has been left unresolved. According to official documents, the plan to merge the R3’s traffic into the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2) and its continued flow into other motorways and highways that come under the jurisdiction of the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and National Highway Authority (NHA) is inconclusive.
Experts predict that the absence of a merger plan will cause persistent traffic congestion at the Thalian interchange of the Lahore-Islamabad Motorway (M-2). Furthermore, the M-2 will be extremely overcrowded and may not be able to handle the massive influx of all types of motor traffic. The 38.3-kilometer R3 project (that costs Rs. 30 billion) will be used by nearly 10,000 trucks and trailers, according to an official estimate.
The News reported that a three-member committee created by the Central Working Development Party (CDWP) told the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) that the preparation of a detailed merger plan has been suspended due to the project’s urgency. The committee had reportedly considered various options to work out a comprehensive merger plan from Thalian (M-2) onward.
According to the Rawalpindi Development Authority’s (RDA) appointed consultant, National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK), it was decided to use network modeling based on the Visum Model to determine the flow of traffic on various NHA highways that connect the M-1 and M-2.
The merger plan was to be finalized by a committee chaired by the Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Communications, comprising a member of NHA Planning, the Rawalpindi Commissioner/Project Director of the R3, and a Member of CDA Engineering.
The detailed study reportedly required the extended scope of work in the NESPAK contract besides a two-month period for the completion of the project. The urgency of the delayed R3 project led the committee to unanimously recommend that the project proposal be forwarded to the Planning Division with some suggestions.
The committee agreed that the ECNEC should process the proposed project in accordance with the RDA’s plan. Any infrastructure addition related to the traffic merger will be duly addressed and presented to the CDWP.
NESPAK highlighted during the meeting that according to the data provided by M/s MORE (the contractor of the motorway for toll revenue collection and maintenance), the addition of traffic on the R3 at Thalian maintains the level of service, which is the minimum requirement for motorway operations.
The committee also stated that the consultant will determine the rise in traffic subsequent to the growth rate in the additional scope of work, and will also resultantly reveal the up-gradation of the M-2 and other linked networks.
How long we have to wait
Not according to facts
It was long awaited project that has created confusion due to zulfi bokhari and others for circling the route on their wishes