Kutchery Chowk likely to reopen for traffic next week

RAWALPINDI: The remodelling of Kutchery Chowk, which includes new flyovers and underpasses aimed at making the intersection signal-free, is expected to be opened for traffic next week, with Tuesday being the likely date.

Chief Traffic Officer Farhan Aslam confirmed that the junction would be opened next week and said the reopening could take place on Tuesday. He also said Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would inaugurate the project next week.

The project’s opening is expected to ease difficulties faced by a large number of commuters since construction work began in November 2025. During the work, traffic had been diverted to alternate routes that were in poor condition, causing delays for motorists and increasing fuel consumption and vehicle repair costs. The diversions also contributed to health concerns because of dust in the area around the district courts and the Police Lines headquarters. "With the opening of Kutchery Chowk, traffic, particularly for those who use this intersection, will be able to move smoothly without any delay," the CTO said.

According to the details shared in the report, two pedestrian bridges have also been constructed as part of the scheme. One connects the FBR building to the gate of the district courts on Jhelum Road, while the other links Fatima Jinnah University to the Adiala Road bus stand.

Officials expect that once the intersection is opened, more than 250,000 vehicles will be able to pass through the square without congestion or traffic signals. Pedestrians, meanwhile, will use the iron bridges to cross the roads.

Commuters look forward to relief

Residents who regularly use the route said the reopening would significantly reduce travel difficulties created during the construction period.

Shuakat Shafiq, a resident of Bahria Town Phase VII, said the day the project opens would be especially important for him because it would allow him to travel more smoothly from his home to his office on Peshawar Road.

Another resident from Chaklala Scheme III welcomed the completion of the project but also raised concerns about upkeep of public infrastructure after completion.

The Kutchery Chowk project is one of the key traffic infrastructure schemes in Rawalpindi and is intended to improve the movement of vehicles at one of the city’s busy intersections by removing signal-related stoppages and separating pedestrian movement through dedicated bridges.