The feasibility study for Phase-II of the most awaited Rawalpindi Ring Road (RRR) project has been officially launched by Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), with the Punjab government allocating Rs 54 million for the task.
Work to Start Next Fiscal Year
RDA Director General Kinza Murtaza confirmed that actual construction on Phase-II is scheduled to commence in the 2025–26 fiscal year, immediately after completion of Phase-I. She claimed that Phase-I, which runs from Baanth to Thalian, is on track for completion by the end of December 2025.
“Once Phase-I is complete, we will move directly into the second phase,” she told reporters, underscoring the government’s commitment to building an efficient ring road network to ease Rawalpindi’s chronic traffic congestion.
Shorter Alignment, Strategic Connections
The Ring Road’s original alignment in 2021 stretched 66 kilometres from Baanth to Sangjani. However, the government revised this plan, reducing Phase-I to 38 km from Baanth to Thalian. Now the plan is to cover the remaining section with the Phase-II, linking Thalian to Sangjani, and connecting the Ring Road with the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and back to G.T. Road.
Read more: Major Thalian Interchange redesign raises cost of Rawalpindi Ring Road to Rs 40 billion
Ms Murtaza noted that the feasibility study will evaluate whether the old alignment is still the best option. A hired consultant will deliver a detailed report guiding final route decisions.
New Economic Zones and Markets
The RDA chief also outlined an ambitious development vision for Phase-II. A key proposal, she shared, came from Housing and Urban Planning Secretary Noorul Amin Mengal, suggesting 500 meters of land be acquired on both sides of the new road. This would allow the city to relocate major passenger and goods transport stands, grain markets, and fruit and vegetable markets to these areas, decongesting Rawalpindi’s urban core.
In addition, there are plans to establish economic and industrial zones along Phase-II. Ms Murtaza emphasized these zones would host only non-polluting industries, supporting sustainable development goals. However, she stressed these plans will move forward only after the feasibility study is completed.
Exhibition Centre and International Investment
Interestingly, the plans are also underway for an exhibition centre at the junction of the CPEC route and the motorway, where Chinese firms can present their products. While these organizations have asked the government for land allocation, they plan to fund and build the centre themselves, signalling strong foreign investment interest.
NHA is getting ready for Increased Traffic
The National Highway Authority is getting ready for the surge in traffic that Phase-II of Rawalpindi Ring Road will bring. NHA has submitted a plan to add two additional lanes to the motorway from Thalian to G.T. Road that will cost Rs 17 billion and guarantee smoother traffic flow after the new section is operational.
A Long Journey
It is worth remembering that the Ring Road project’s journey has been anything but smooth. It was initially planned during the tenure of PM Imran as a 64-kilometre route from Rawat to Sangjani via Murat, the project was stopped amid corruption allegations, forcing a complete redesign.
The revised alignment is now a 38.3-km long controlled-access road from National Highway (N-5) at Baanth to the M-2 at Thalian and Rawalpindi Ring Road Phase-II will extend it onward to Sangjani.
With this new push for feasibility and funding, officials hope to finally deliver the road network which was promised long ago, that can change Rawalpindi’s transport infrastructure and economy.