One of the largest road infrastructure undertakings in the twin-city region is approaching its conclusion. The Rawalpindi Ring Road, a PKR 47 billion corridor stretching 38.3 kilometres, has crossed the 90 percent completion mark and is now in its final construction phase, with officials eyeing a June 30 target for the bulk of remaining tasks.
What Has Been Done
The vast majority of civil works along the route have been wrapped up. Asphalt has been laid across close to 38 kilometres of the highway, covering nearly the entire length of the corridor. Key structures — including bridges and overpasses — are in place, and the five interchanges planned at Baanth, Maira Mohra, Khasala, Kolian Parr, and Thalian have been substantially built out.
The road runs from Baanth on the Grand Trunk Road in the east to Thalian on the motorway network in the west, serving as a bypass that is intended to take pressure off congested urban arteries and create a faster link between the region’s major transport corridors.
Work Still in Progress
Despite the advanced stage of progress, several finishing tasks remain active on site. Around eight kilometres of carpeting work is ongoing, alongside the completion of drainage infrastructure, right-of-way clearance, and the installation of roadside safety barriers. Streetlighting and lamppost installation is also underway along the corridor and is expected to be finalised within the next few weeks.
Deputy Project Director Ashfaq Sulheri acknowledged that streetlight installation would likely run slightly beyond the June 30 cutoff, estimating it would be concluded within a month. He confirmed that construction activity as a whole is advancing at a steady pace and that remaining work is minor in scope relative to what has already been achieved.
Opening Not Automatic Upon Completion
Officials from the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and the divisional administration have clarified that finishing construction will not automatically open the road to traffic. A formal inspection by a provincial government team must first be carried out to assess whether the road meets all standards required for public inauguration and use. The outcome of that review will determine when commuters can actually begin using the route.
Project Background
The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) is serving as the primary contractor on the project, with the RDA acting as the executing authority. Land acquisition for the project covered 8,992 kanals at a cost of PKR 6.7 billion.
The corridor was originally envisioned as a 68-kilometre ring road before being scaled back to its current 38.3-kilometre alignment following a government review. After construction was paused for a period, successive administrations reinstated approvals and the project resumed. Along with the road itself, plans include the development of an industrial zone along the corridor, which officials say could bring economic activity to the region beyond just easing traffic flow.
With construction in its home stretch, the Rawalpindi Ring Road represents one of the most significant transport investments undertaken in the region in recent years — one that authorities say will meaningfully reduce congestion and improve connectivity once it opens to the public.
