Rawalpindi is preparing for a major leap in infrastructure development as work on the much-anticipated Kutchery Chowk remodeling project, worth Rs 6.494 billion, is expected to begin next month.
The initiative, designed to address the city’s growing traffic congestion, has already entered the preparatory phase with the Punjab Highway Department initiating land marking for construction.
Preparations and Utility Shifting
At a progress review meeting chaired by Deputy Commissioner Dr. Hassan Waqar Cheema on Friday, utility departments including SNGPL, IESCO, PTCL, WASA, and the Rawalpindi and Chaklala Cantonment Boards were instructed to submit cost estimates for shifting their services.
Officials keep on confirming that more than 36 kanals of land will be required for the project. Most of this land belongs to state institutions such as Fatima Jinnah Women University, the Pakistan Army, the Commissioner’s Office, and the Income Tax Department.
The deputy commissioner has shed the light upon the high importance of coordination, directing the highway department to share daily traffic count data with Rawalpindi police.
With over 250,000 vehicles crossing the intersection each day, he highlighted the requirement for an effective traffic management strategy in order to lessen all disruption once construction starts.
Read more: Nawaz Sharif Flyover completed as part of Rawalpindi’s major signal-free plan
Scope of the Project
As per Masab Ali, Sub-Divisional Officer of the Highway Department, the project will stretch over 2.5 kilometers and this intends to establish signal-free traffic corridor. Work on shifting utilities is expected to start within a week, ensuring that construction can move forward without unnecessary delays.
The remodeling of Kutchery Chowk is part of a broader initiative to develop a signal-free corridor from Koral Chowk to Motorway Chowk, designed to significantly cut back travel times for commuters.
The Punjab government has displayed a strong commitment to upgrading Rawalpindi’s infrastructure. On August 11, it approved three major projects for the city:
• Remodeling of Kutchery Chowk
• Construction of an underpass at Iftikhar Janjua Road
• Development of a flyover with an underpass at Jinnah Park Chowk
Together, these projects aim to
- Ease traffic bottlenecks across the city
- Improve connectivity
- Support Rawalpindi’s growing urban population
A Step Toward Modern Urban Mobility
City officials keep on believing that the Kutchery Chowk project will not only help in resolving one of the most notorious traffic jams in Rawalpindi but also improve the all-inclusive efficiency of the road network.
The major aim behind investing in these mega-scale projects is that the Punjab government hopes to create long-term solutions for urban mobility, and this guarantees that the city can better accommodate its daily traffic load and growing economic activity.