Murree Road Expansion Plan Revised as Cost Rises to Rs17bn

RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has revised its long-discussed Murree Road expansion project, increasing both its size and cost in an effort to tackle growing traffic congestion in the city.

According to Dawn, the updated plan proposes widening Murree Road from Liaquat Bagh to Chandni Chowk by 20 feet on both sides, along with the addition of service lanes. With these changes, the estimated cost of the project has jumped to Rs17.7 billion. The earlier proposal was more limited, but district authorities recommended expanding the scope to make the project more effective. The revised plan has now been sent to the Punjab government for approval and inclusion in the upcoming annual development programme.

RDA officials say the upgraded road will be made signal-free from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad, which is expected to significantly reduce travel time between Rawalpindi and Islamabad. To make this possible, around 48 kanals of land will be acquired. Final designs will be prepared once funding and approvals are secured, officials added.

The project also includes plans for new parking facilities to address long-standing parking issues along Murree Road. Two parking plazas are proposed, one near Benazir Bhutto Hospital and another close to Commercial Market. These facilities will accommodate hundreds of vehicles and include commercial shops to help recover costs, Dawn reported.

At the same time, progress continues on the Rawalpindi Ring Road project, which is seen as a major relief route for the city. According to The Express Tribune, construction on the Ring Road is moving steadily and remains on track. Once completed, it is expected to divert heavy and through-traffic away from inner city roads and connect smoothly with major highways and CPEC routes.

The Murree Road expansion and the Ring Road project are being viewed as part of a broader strategy to fix Rawalpindi’s traffic problems, which have worsened over the years due to rapid urban growth and rising vehicle numbers. Previous measures, including flyovers, underpasses and road redesigns, have provided some relief but congestion remains a daily challenge.

For commuters, the revised Murree Road plan, now larger in scale and backed by a bigger budget, combined with the progress on Ring Road, offers hope that traffic flow in the city will improve in the coming years. Authorities believe these projects together could finally ease pressure on Rawalpindi’s busiest roads and improve daily travel for residents.

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