RAWALPINDI: Work on the Rs6.494 billion Kutchery Chowk remodeling project is likely to start next month as the Punjab Highway Department has started marking land to be used in the project.

In this regard, a meeting was held here with Deputy commissioner Dr Hassan Waqar Cheema in the chair on Friday. The meeting decided to start work on the project. The Sui Northern Gas Pipeline Limited, Iesco, PTCL, Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards and Water and Sanitation Agency were asked to submit their estimates for utility services.

The meeting was informed that more than 36 kanals would be utilised for the project and most of it was state land belonging to Fatima Jinnah Women University, Pakistan Army, commissioner office and the income tax department.

The deputy commissioner asked the Punjab Highway Department to present the traffic count in the section so it would be communicated to traffic police for traffic management during the construction work.

He also asked the highway department to make amendments to the design to minimise the use of state and private land. Officials informed the meeting that the marking of land had been started.

The department conducted a survey of the area and found out that 250,000 vehicles pass through this intersection every day.

“Basically, this project is a part of the signal-free corridor from Koral Chowk to the Motorway Chowk,” they said, adding that the Punjab government had decided to execute this project as soon as possible.

It was decided that the utility services will present their estimates next week.

Masab Ali, Sub-Divisional Officer of the Highway Department, told Dawn the total length of the project would be 2.5 kilometres and the work would be completed as soon as possible. He said for the shifting of services, the utility departments will start their work after a week.

It may be mentioned here that the provincial government approved three main projects for the garrison city on August 11.

These included Kutchery Chowk worth Rs6.694 billion, an underpass at Iftikhar Janjua Road worth Rs2.798 billion and a flyover and an underpass at Jinnah Park Chowk worth Rs5.245 billion.

Published in Dawn, August 23rd, 2025