RAWALPINDI: Divisional Commissioner Noorul Amin Mengal on Tuesday said a proposal has been drafted to make the Rawalpindi portion of Peshawar Road - from Koral Chowk to Motorway Chowk - signal free and efforts are being made to include this project in the Annual Development Programme 2022-23.

He said this during a meeting held to review the proposed project. The meeting was attended by the director (development and planning) and officers concerned of the Punjab Highway Department.

The commissioner said the cost of the project is Rs10 billion and construction of one flyover and four underpasses is included in it. “The flyover will be constructed at Ammar Chowk, and four underpasses at GPO Chowk, GHQ Chowk, Qasim Market and Military Hospital Chowk,” he said.

The commissioner said that the master plan and design of the project has been prepared and it will reduce travel time between Koral Chowk and Motorway Chowk from one hour to 10 minutes.

“The PC-1 of the project has been submitted to chairman of the Planning and Development Board, Lahore,” he said, adding the government is also planning to start a bus route on this signal free corridor that will be an affordable mode of transportation.

He said this project has been proposed in the public interest as Peshawar Road is a major road of the city and a large number of people commute on it daily which causes traffic congestion.

He said if approved, this project will be greatly helpful in resolving traffic woes in the city.

Published in Dawn, April 20th, 2022