Kachehri Chowk traffic corridor opens

RAWALPINDI: The District Courts Chowk underpasses and overhead bridges project has been completed and is set to be formally inaugurated on Sunday afternoon, after which the corridor is expected to open for uninterrupted signal-free traffic.

The project, officially named Marka-e-Haq Square, includes two flyovers, three underpasses and two steel pedestrian overhead bridges. The scheme was completed in 187 days at an estimated cost of about Rs19 billion. Construction began on November 3, 2025, and work continued in three shifts around the clock to speed up completion.

An inauguration plaque carrying the name of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has already been installed, while a full rehearsal for the opening ceremony has also been held. Maryam Nawaz is expected to attend as chief guest, and Aamir Khattak and Hassan Waqar Cheema will host the event. Invitations have been issued and security arrangements have been finalised.

Final preparations at the site continued under tight restrictions, with landscaping and finishing work carried out across the interchange. Large ornamental trees, flowering plants and decorative greenery were brought in on heavy trailers and placed around the project area. Fresh turf was laid along the flyover corridors, nearby service roads and surrounding verges.

Testing of LED lighting and decorative illumination was completed overnight. More than 100 sanitary workers were deployed on an emergency basis for cleaning and site preparation, while carpeting and other finishing work has also been completed.

The Kachehri Chowk development is being described as one of Rawalpindi’s most advanced urban infrastructure projects. Since November 2025, its projected cost has reportedly risen gradually to nearly Rs19 billion due to the expansion of the elevated crossing component. The broader scheme also includes underpasses, overhead bridges and a modern six-sided pedestrian crossing bridge, which is said to be in the final stages of completion.

Landscaping beneath the flyovers has been completed, while lighting and traffic signalling systems are now fully operational. Carpeting work on both flyovers and all four adjoining service roads has also been finished.

Following the opening of Marka-e-Haq Square, traffic is expected to move without signals along Mall Road, Jhelum Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Old Airport Road and nearby arteries, easing long-standing congestion in the city. Residents, have welcomed the project’s completion and expressed hope that it will improve mobility in Rawalpindi.

Digital display screens installed at Marka-e-Haq Square are showing images of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Field Marshal Asim Munir, PML-N Patron Nawaz Sharif and Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. A white marble commemorative gateway linked to Maarka-e-Haq Buny?n al-Mars?s has also been erected, while the renaming of Kachehri Chowk has been presented as a tribute to Pakistan Armed Forces personnel who took part in the operation.