Ring Road completion delayed once more

Islamabad: The Rawalpindi Ring Road has missed another target for opening, with officials now expecting the road to be inaugurated in the second week of July instead of June 29.

The 38.6-kilometre project has faced repeated delays. Officials said the Rawalpindi and Islamabad ring roads are both expected to be completed this year, which would form a circular transport link around the twin cities. Once the route becomes operational, traffic coming from Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Azad Jammu and Kashmir would be able to move in and out of the area without entering crowded urban sections.

The road begins at Banth on GT Road and runs through Kaliam Awan, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road and Chakri Road before ending at Nallah Khota. Five key interchanges have been built at Banth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala, Chakri and Thalian to connect nearby populations to the corridor.

Officials said the scheme also carries wider development plans, including industrial zones, the shifting of wholesale and flower markets, goods transport terminals, and areas earmarked for health, education and housing. A large recreational park designed on a European model is also included in the proposal under a public-private partnership backed by the Asian Development Bank. According to the details shared, feasibility studies and PC-I preparation for the third phase have started, while the project cost has risen from Rs15 billion to Rs47 billion.