RAWALPINDI: As the Rawalpindi Ring Road is set to be completed by the end of May, the provincial government has decided not to start work on the Thalian interchange on the motorway and instead make the road functional with a two-way carriageway.

A senior official of the divisional administration told Dawn that work on the Ring Road had entered its final phase, as the road had taken shape and horticulture work had started along the main corridor.

He said work had begun to widen the Thalian section, where the Ring Road merges with the motorway, as more than 18,000 vehicles will enter the motorway from the Ring Road.

At this point, it is necessary to widen the road to avoid long queues of vehicles.

Official says work on Rs5 billion Thalian interchange project will not start immediately

Talking to Dawn, Deputy Project Director of Rawalpindi Ring Road Ashfaq Sulheri said that the Rs5 billion Thalian interchange project would not start immediately.

To make the Ring Road functional, authorities have decided to use a two-way carriageway so that traffic can enter the motorway.

He said there were some issues and that the interchange would be constructed after the completion of the Ring Road.

He added that the National Highway Authority (NHA) was also working to expand the service road, which would be able to cater to the traffic demand.

He said the Project Management Unit had sent the revised PC-I of the Ring Road, in which the Thalian interchange was included, but to make the road functional, the government decided to start work on the interchange later.

Regarding progress, Mr Sulheri said the Punjab government had directed the project management unit to speed up work so that it could be completed before the monsoon season.

“We have now started working in three shifts. The Soan Bridge has been completed, work on the railway bridge is under way with girder casting started, and asphalt work has begun. So far, over 28 kilometres of the road has been completed,” he said.

He added that work on interchanges, bridges and road surfacing was now being carried out simultaneously to make up for the three-month slowdown during the monsoon, with October and November targeted to recover the delay.

According to project details, the Rawalpindi Ring Road will be 38.3km long, with five interchanges at Banth, Chak Baili Khan, Adiala Road, Chakri Road and Thalian. An industrial zone is also planned along the route.

It may be mentioned that the project cost has escalated from Rs33 billion to Rs47 billion. Officials said further price escalation would be accommodated at the end of the project.

Published in Dawn, April 19th, 2026