RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration has asked the consultant to complete the third-party validation of the route of Rawalpindi Ring Road (R3) project by July-end so the government will initiate work on the project.

The directive was issued at a meeting held with Commissioner Liaquat Ali Chattha in the chair to review the progress on the mega project. Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA)’s Director General Saif Anwar Jappa, consultant of the project and Nespak representatives were also present.

A joint venture of Turkish and Pakistani firms is working to choose the route of the Ring Road under the third-party validation which will be completed by end of July 30.

The JV of Asian Consulting Engineers and Botek Bosporus Technical Consulting Company has won the technical and financial bid.

JV of Turkish and Pakistani firms has won bid for third-party validation

The Project Management Unit estimated Rs30 million bid while the company offered the lowest bid of Rs25 million.

As per an old alignment prepared in 2020, Rs64 billion worth Ring Road was 66.3km long from Rawat Radio Pakistan to Thalian and from Thalian to Sangjani.

Under the new alignment of 2021, the Ring Road would be 38.3 km controlled access road which will originate at National Highway (N-5) at Baanth and after crossing Chakbeli Road, Adiala Road, Chakri Road will terminate at M-2 at Thallian Interchange.

The total cost of the project is Rs33.7 billion, including Rs27 billion for construction and Rs6.7 billion for land acquisition.

On the other hand, the Punjab government dropped Rs6.4 billion worth Kutchery Chowk remodeling project and decided to widen the roads to make it easy for traffic flow.

A senior official of the RDA told Dawn that the civic agency had been asked to make a new plan as soon as possible. the RDA has sought help from Nespak to give an initial plan of roads’ expansion. He said the total cost would be estimated soon so work on the project would be started.

Earlier, the Kutchery Chowk remodeling project had been prepared to ease traffic in the main square of the garrison city. It was to provide easy way to 131,500 vehicles per day.

Meanwhile, at a meeting, the commissioner asked the RDA and Nespak to prepare a plan as soon as possible because traffic rush was increasing on the section.

Published in Dawn, July 15th, 2023