ISLAMABAD: Like the ongoing Shaheen Chowk underpass project, the cost of the T-Chowk flyover project may also face a 15 per cent increase, Dawn has learnt.

Both mega projects are being executed by the Capital Development Authority (CDA) and are near completion.

The 1.1-kilometre T-Chowk flyover, worth Rs1.4 billion, is being constructed at the junction of G.T. Road and the Expressway mainly to provide smooth access for traffic coming from the Lahore side.

The project is near completion, with around 90pc of the work finished and final asphalt work under way.

However, sources said the cost of the project is likely to increase by 15pc because of some extra work. It is relevant to note that CDA recently increased the scope of the Shaheen Chowk project by 15pc as well.

Under Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, a 15pc increase in the scope of a project is permissible without a new tender. In some cases, projects are completed with savings, lower than the original cost.

“Legally, a 15pc increase in the scope of the project is permissible… but it will be a strange coincidence if both ongoing projects face a similar increase in scope,” said an official source.

The groundbreaking of the T-Chowk flyover was performed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on September 12, with a completion target of 150 days. The project is near completion well before the deadline and will likely be inaugurated this month.

Recently, the scope of the Shaheen Chowk underpass project, worth Rs1.3 billion, was increased by 15pc as its design faced a major change in the length of the underpass barrel.

The underpass is being constructed at the junction of 9th Avenue and Khayaban-i-Iqbal (commonly known as Margalla Road), where traffic congestion was a routine issue. The foundation stone of this project was laid by the prime minister on October 24.

Both projects are being handled by a joint venture of two construction firms.

“Ideally, the executing agencies try to complete projects without any increase in cost. Sometimes, due to unavoidable situations, the cost increases. Here, if the scope of these projects has been or will be increased, this step will also raise questions about the efficiency of the CDA, as to why this work was not included in the original design,” said an official.

He claimed that a 15pc increase in the T-Chowk flyover cost has already been made.

However, CDA spokesperson Shahid Kiani said: “It’s too early to say whether the project is exceeding its cost limits. At the moment, all construction activities as well as the cost are within the scope of the project and as per our estimates and schedule.”

The spokesperson said the overall progress of the project is more than 85pc, while the deadline for completion is February 18, 2026. “Our construction activities are well ahead of time. Hopefully, we will inaugurate this project well before the deadline,” he added.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2025