RAWALPINDI: After dropping the remodelling project due to ostensible security concerns, the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has decided to expand Kutchery Chowk at an estimated cost of Rs1.5 billion, but without flyovers and underpasses Experts believe this project would not ease traffic congestion in the busiest square unless a signal-free corridor is built.

The Punjab caretaker cabinet asked the RDA to prepare the plan and submit it to the chief secretary before submitting it to the planning and development department.

Under the project, the government would buy 13 kanal and 40 marla of land from Fatima Jinnah Women University, the commissioner’s office, Excise and Taxation, two private houses, and some portion of the military land.

On the other hand, the traffic engineering experts were of the view that under the previous plan, the traffic on five roads – Jhelum Road, Rashid Minhas Road, Old Airport Road, The Mall, and Adiala Road – had been divided into three portions.

Experts say project will not ease traffic congestion

Since more than 131,500 vehicles use this square on a daily basis, the traffic was supposed to split into three portions – one would have used the flyover, the second would go towards the underpass, and the third portion would have remained at grade.

But under the new project which does not contain bridges and underpasses, the flow of traffic would not be divided into three portions, which meant the congestion would remain the same, especially at traffic signals.

After passing through the square, these vehicles would face bottlenecks at connecting roads, they said, adding that the expansion could be a stop-gap arrangement but for a permanent solution, a signal-free corridor was required.

‘Security concerns’

When contacted, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) Director General Saif Anwar Jappa said that the RDA made the plan as per the directives of the provincial government as it wanted to drop the plan of flyover and underpass due to security concerns of the area.

He said that an initial plan had been formulated and submitted to the Urban Unit of the Punjab government and a final decision would be made by the provincial government soon. As per the initial survey, more money would be spent on the acquisition of land.

Sharing details, he said that five kanal would be acquired from Fatima Jinnah Women University, 10 marlas from the commissioner’s office, 30 marlas from the Excise and Taxation, and eight kanal from the military. Two private houses would also be acquired for the project.

Mr Jappa said the military was paid the market rate for their piece of land while the government organisations and offices did not get any money against their land. A complete survey of the land would be completed in a day or two, he added.

In a comment on concerns expressed by experts about traffic congestion, particularly the signal-free corridor from Ammar Chowk to the motorway, the RDA director general said that the project was not dropped but would be started after completion of the expansion work.

The PTI government had released Rs1 billion for the project but in June, the RDA surrendered these funds. The RDA awarded the contract for the remodelling to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). However, the project remained stalled due to the apprehensions of the garrison authorities.

According to the original design of the project, a two-lane flyover was supposed to be constructed for Rawat to Saddar-bound traffic, a two-lane flyover for Marrir to Rawat-bound traffic and a two-lane exit ramp for Rawat to Airport-bound traffic. A 2+2 lane underpass for Airport to Saddar-bound and an underpass for Iftikhar Janjua Road to Airport-bound traffic was also slated to be constructed.

Published in Dawn, October 8th, 2023