RAWALPINDI: The divisional administration has set June 30 as the new deadline for completion of the GPO underpass being constructed on The Mall at a cost of Rs4.6 billion.

The construction work has caused worst traffic mess in Saddar with motorists using Haider Road as the only alternative.

Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz in April had fixed May 31 as the deadline for the completion of Nawaz SharifFlyover and the GPO underpass, but the projects could not be completed.

On June 2, the chief minister`s visit to the garrison city was postponed as work on these projects could not be completed.

The administration said the projects were likely to complete after Eidul Azha.

However, now another deadline has been fixed.

A senior official of the Communication and Works Department said that carpeting of one side of the underpass had been done while on the second lane of the double barrel underpass it will be completed by Saturday. He said construction of service roads on The Mall would start on Sunday and would be completed in a week. He said that the construction work and lightening would be completed by June 30.

He said the drainage line had been laid to discharge rainwater into a nullah on Sarwar Road near Punjsarki Chowk.He said Sarwar Road was also an alternative route and the contractor completed the work on time. He said it was difficult to handle traffic and continue construction work on the alternative road.

About Nawaz Sharif Flyover, he said the construction work had been completed and the flyover opened for traffic while work on service roads would be completed within a week. He said electricity poles were being relocated by Iesco, but during the Eid holidays the work was stopped.

Meanwhile, Commissioner Rawalpindi Aamer Khattak visited the recently completed NawazSharif Flyover and the under-construction GPO Chowk underpass. He reviewed the progress on these projects. A briefing was given to him by the superintending engineer Highways and Frontier Works Organisation representatives.The commissioner said that the flyover, completed in a record period of 120 days, has helped a lot in solving traffic issues of Adiala Road.

Around 79,000 vehicles are getting benefit out of it daily,` he said and added that the chronic issue of traffic jams on Adiala Road had been largely resolved.

The commissioner inspected the pace and quality of the ongoing work on the GPO Chowk and TM Chowk underpasses.

He was informed that physical progress on the project was 88 per cent and June 30 had been fixed as its completion date.

The commissioner said all possible facilities and proper parking spaces had been provided to the affected business centres. He said concerned departments should use available resources to ensure that the work would be completed in the stipulated time without compromising on the quality of work.

Published in Dawn, June 13th, 2025