RAWALPINDI: Patchwork carried out on Gulistan Colony Road, Chaklala, to repair potholes, cracks and damaged sections of the road surface with asphalt deteriorated during the recent rain spell, creating inconvenience for thousands of commuters who were already facing hardships due to the closure of Kutchery Chowk for remodeling.

Prior to the Kutchery Chowk mega project, asphalt had been used to fill holes and weak spots on a section of Gulistan Colony Road designated as an alternate route during the project.

However, the patchwork proved inadequate and deteriorated during the recent rains, causing cars and motorcyclists to wobble while driving and plunging road users into distress.

Deteriorating road conditions on alternative routes add to commuters’ hardships

According to official sources, before the remodeling of Kutchery Chowk began, the city traffic police had identified nine alternate diversion points and six blocking points around the construction site where regulating traffic flow would be difficult.

The blocking points were identified as Shalimar Chowk, Mall Road, Police Lines Gate Old Airport Road, Fatima Jinnah University Gate Rashid Minhas Road, Bakri Chowk, APS Gate Fort Road and Annexe Chowk (from Nazar Chowk).

Traffic police personnel were deployed at these blocking points to manage traffic on dilapidated roads, but these routes lacked traffic signboards and streetlights.

A similar situation was observed on alternate diversion routes, including Gulistan Colony Turn Jhelum Road, Annexe Chowk Jinnah Park slip Airport Road, Shalimar Turn Mall Road, COD Chowk, Nazar Chowk Adyala Road, opposite Topi Rakh Jhelum Road, Lahore Morr Mushtaq Baig Shaheed Road, Attock Petrol Pump U-turn Old Airport Road and Marrir Chowk.

However, the patchwork carried out on Gulistan Colony Road, Chaklala, to repair cracks and damaged sections of the road surface deteriorated during the recent rain spell, adding to the inconvenience of commuters already facing difficulties due to the Kutchery Chowk remodeling.

Chief Traffic Officer Rawalpindi Farhan Aslam has drawn the attention of the authorities concerned to the issue, as the general public is facing delays and difficulties in movement.

Traffic police personnel deployed on alternate routes have also been facing challenges in managing traffic due to damaged roads.

The city traffic authorities have also taken up the matter with the DIG Traffic Police Punjab, the City Police Officer Rawalpindi, the director general of the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), the chief executive officer Chaklala Cantonment Board Rawalpindi and other relevant authorities, but road conditions have remained unchanged and continue to worsen.

Since the Kutchery Chowk remodelling project began on November 3, 2025, the city traffic police have written at least four letters to the commissioner of Rawalpindi, also seeking attention towards the repair of traffic signals. However, despite the passage of four months, not a single traffic signal has been repaired.

A resident of Chaklala-III said that while huge public funds are being spent on mega projects, even a small amount is not being allocated for patchwork on damaged roads.

He added that it is difficult to find even a one-kilometre stretch of road in good condition.

He further said that in other countries, when road works are undertaken, alternate roads are constructed, and portable or roll-up signs are used for lane closures, diversions and speed restrictions.

During a visit to the alternate route from Gulistan Colony to Marrir Chowk, debris and mud were seen scattered along the roadside outside the CPO House, along with deteriorated road conditions and potholes that required attention but had been left unattended, causing problems for road users.

Residents of Rawalpindi were eagerly awaiting the completion of the mega remodelling project by the end of April, but their hopes faded when it was revealed that additional time would be required, prolonging the ordeal of thousands of commuters.

Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif had directed the immediate repair, rehabilitation and construction of roads across the province.

About 10 months have passed since these directives were issued, including for Rawalpindi, but residents are still waiting for their implementation.

Published in Dawn, April 16th, 2026