The long-delayed Northern Bypass project, designed to complete the Ring Road, has received an allocation of only Rs. 500 million in the current fiscal year, far below the Rs. 5.3 billion required to complete its final phase on time.
Launched in 2010, the over 30-kilometre project has entered its 17th year and has faced repeated delays and cost escalations. Its total cost has increased sharply from an initial Rs. 3.07 billion to Rs. 27.05 billion after multiple PC-I revisions. Officials fear that the insufficient allocation will further delay completion.
According to official documents, the project requires Rs. 4.27 billion to meet actual construction needs, along with an additional Rs1.1 billion to cover cost escalation during the current fiscal year. However, the Public Sector Development Programme has allocated only a fraction of this amount.
Progress varies across different sections of the project, with some packages nearing completion while others face revised deadlines extending into 2026. Authorities have also highlighted unresolved issues, including land acquisition, relocation of electricity pylons, and delays in underpass construction.
Officials have urged the provincial government to approach the federal government to secure the required funds, warning that continued financial shortfalls will further delay a project considered vital for reducing traffic congestion in Peshawar.