The much-publicized Rawalpindi Ring Road project, initially valued at Rs. 32.9 billion, is expected to miss its December 2025 completion deadline, with costs likely to surge by 40 to 50 percent.
A senior divisional administration official said over 70 percent of the 38.3-kilometer project has been completed. However, work has slowed for the past month, largely due to heavy monsoon rains. Progress is expected to regain pace once the season ends.
The official noted that a revised PC-I is being prepared to account for rising construction material costs and higher vehicle charges over the past two years. The revised plan will be forwarded to the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and later to Ecnec for approval.
Delays have also stemmed from unresolved issues on how to merge traffic from Thalian to the motorway. While the National Highway Authority (NHA) plans to add two lanes, its expansion project remains pending.
In the meantime, the contractor, Frontier Works Organization (FWO), has offered to construct a one-kilometer merging road using its own funds.
Deputy Project Director Ashfaq Sulheri confirmed the project deadline will be extended but said the government will allow only a 44 percent cost increase instead of the 50 percent demanded by FWO. The project includes five interchanges at Baanth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and Thalian, where construction is ongoing.