RAWALPINDI: Since the Ring Road project worth Rs38 billion is 75 per cent complete, Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has started work on the feasibility study of its second phase at a cost of Rs52 million.

Director General Kinza Murtaza told Dawn that the joint venture of Nespak and ACE Private Limited started the feasibility study for the Rawalpindi Ring Road Phase II from Thalian to Sangjani to connect it with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

She said the study will be completed within four months, adding the Phase II will be launched by the Punjab government once the road from Baanth to Thalian is ready.

“The feasibility study will suggest about the suitable route,” she said and added that it was expected the work on Phase-II will be started in the next fiscal year.

Punjab govt to launch Phase II once road from Baanth to Thalian is ready, says RDA chief

On the other hand, a senior official of Divisional Administration said that the old alignment of Ring Road was 66 kilometres from Baanth to Sangjani in 2021 and was reduced to 38km from Baanth to Thalian in 2022.

He said that basically the road was to be made in a ring shape.

He said that the government had decided to proceed with the remaining section to connect Ring Road with CPEC and then G.T. Road in Phase II.

He said that a feasibility study would be carried out by February and work on Phase II would begin after completing Phase I from Baanth to Thalian. He said that an economic zone will be established along the Phase II area.

He said that 500 metres of land would be acquired on both sides of Phase-II road so all transport stands for passengers, goods and main grain, fruit, and vegetable markets will be shifted from city to these areas.

About the construction work on Phase-I, he said that the work from Baanth to Thalian was likely to complete by March next year.

He said that the revised PC-I worth Rs45 billion had been presented to Punjab Housing, Urban Development and Public Health Engineering department and after vetting it will be handed over to Punjab Planning and Development for final approval.

He said that 75 per cent work had been completed so far while work on Thaalian Interchange had started to connect the road with the motorway and construction of toll plazas also added in the project.

It is worth noting that during the tenure of former Prime Minister Imran Khan, the project was initially planned as a 64-kilometre-long road from Rawat to Sangjani via Murat.

However, after corruption allegations, the previous PTI government halted work and initiated a new alignment.

As per the old alignment, the Rs64 billion road was 66.3 kilometres from Rawat Radio Pakistan to Thalian, then from Thalian to Sangjani via Murat. The new alignment is a 38.3 km controlled access road which originates from National Highway (N-5) at Baanth, passing through Chakbeli Road, Adiala Road, Chakri Road, and terminating at Motorway M-2 at Thallian Interchange.

A joint venture of Turkish and Pakistani firms recommended proceeding with two phases: from Baanth to Thalian, and for Phase II, hiring a new consultant to determine the best route from Thalian to Sangjani.

Published in Dawn, November 24th, 2025