The Punjab government has decided to defer construction of the Thalian interchange as the Rawalpindi Ring Road nears completion, opting instead to make the project operational with a temporary two-way carriageway connection to the motorway.
A senior official in the divisional administration said work on the Ring Road has entered its final phase, with the main corridor largely completed and horticulture activity underway.
Officials said the Thalian section, where the Ring Road connects with the motorway, is being widened to manage expected traffic, as more than 18,000 vehicles are projected to merge onto the motorway from the new route.
Deputy Project Director Rawalpindi Ring Road Ashfaq Sulheri said the Rs. 5 billion Thalian interchange project will not begin immediately due to pending issues, and will instead be taken up after the main road becomes operational.
He said the interim two-way carriageway will allow traffic flow until the interchange is constructed, while the National Highway Authority is working to expand the service road to accommodate demand.
Sulheri said the revised PC-I, which includes the interchange, has been submitted, but the government prioritized making the road functional first. He added that the provincial government has directed the Project Management Unit to accelerate work ahead of the monsoon season, with construction now underway in three shifts.
According to officials, the Soan Bridge has been completed, work on the railway bridge is ongoing with girder casting in progress, and asphalt work has started, with more than 28 kilometers of the road already completed.
Work on interchanges, bridges and road surfacing is being carried out simultaneously to recover delays caused by the monsoon, with timelines adjusted to make up for earlier slowdowns.
The Rawalpindi Ring Road spans 38.3 kilometers and includes five planned interchanges at Banth, Chak Baili Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road and Thalian, along with a proposed industrial zone along the route.
The project cost has increased from Rs. 33 billion to Rs. 47 billion, with officials indicating that any further escalation will be accounted for at the completion stage.
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میں مکمل ہوا ہو تو بتائیں۔ estinated cost پاکستان میں کبھی کوئی پراجیکٹ
Horticulture and beautification of the ring road was not that important. Thalian interchange should have been completed.
It was not an either/or in terms of time and expense.
God knows what you messaged.