Rawalpindi: The Punjab government has approved the construction of three underpasses along Peshawar Road, Rawalpindi, at an estimated cost of Rs6 billion. Work is set to begin next month once the bidding and preparatory processes are completed.
According to officials from the Punjab Highway Department, the underpasses will be built at Race Course Park, Army Graveyard, and Chairing Cross. The project is part of a larger plan to ease traffic congestion by creating a signal-free corridor from Katcheri Chowk to Motorway Chowk.
A dedicated utility services corridor will also be developed from Saddar to Pirwadhai Mor, where gas pipelines, telephone cables, and electricity wires will be laid. This will help prevent repeated road excavations for utility work.
Funds have been allocated under the Punjab Annual Development Programme 2025-26: Rs2.6 billion for the Race Course Park underpass, Rs1.9 billion for the Army Graveyard underpass, and Rs1.5 billion for the Chairing Cross underpass.
Once completed, the projects are expected to reduce travel time between Katcheri and Motorway Chowk to about 20 minutes, making Peshawar Road and The Mall fully signal-free.
In addition, construction is expected to start soon on other long-awaited projects, including the Katcheri Chowk flyover and underpass, Jinnah Park underpass, and Ammar Chowk flyover. The provincial government has instructed departments to speed up land acquisition and utility shifting to ensure work begins simultaneously.
Executive Engineer Rana Qamar Ali confirmed that preparations are nearly finished. “We have been directed to begin immediately, starting with the shifting of services on Peshawar Road,” he said.
Officials noted that these developments will play a major role in addressing Rawalpindi’s chronic traffic issues and improving connectivity across the city.
