Rawalpindi:
The long-awaited project for dualizing Rawalpindi-Kahuta Road, one of the most critical routes connecting Rawalpindi with Azad Kashmir, has officially been incorporated into the public sector development program (PSDP) for the financial year 2025-26.
The project also includes the construction of a four-lane overhead bridge at Sihala Railway Gate and the development of bypasses at Sihala and Kahuta. The total cost of the project is estimated to exceed RS23.84 billion. Upon completion, the travel time between Rawalpindi and Kahuta is reduced to just 40 minutes.
The 28.4 -kilometer stretch of Kacheri Chowk in Rawalpindi to Main Bazaar in Kahuta passing through Sihala acts as an important connection that connects to two key routes leading to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir. Currently, the absence of a double lane and an overhead bridge at Sihala Railway Gate has resulted in frequent traffic congestion, accidents and daily damage along this critical corridor.
The severely deteriorating state of the individual lane road has stretched, what should be an hour’s journey into a two and a half hours of ordealing.
Rising traffic pressure on this narrow route inhibits continuous traffic flow.
To tackle these problems, the project has now been incorporated into PSDP under the supervision of the National Highway Authority (NHA) as part of the ongoing development program in the federal budget.
The project received approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on July 27, 2023.
It is worth noting that the Rawalpindi-Kahuta route via Sihala is the shortest path to several important destinations. In addition to providing direct access to Kotli and Rawalakot in Azad Kashmir, this route also connects Kahuta to modature, Bewar and Kallar Syedan via Chowk Pandori as well as Kotli Sattian and Murree.
Given the importance of this corridor, the need to dualize the rawalpindi-kahuta path and construct an overhead bridge at Sihala Railway Gate been long-lasting. Successful governments have made repeated promises to initiate and end the project, but it remained unfinished, resulting in continuous difficulties for commuters.
Sources say this route is an existing but incomplete NHA project. While some work had started in the past, it became unfinished. However, it has now been decided to complete the project as soon as possible. The route falls under both Punjab and Federal Jurisdictions: From Kaceri Chowk to Sawan in Rawalpindi, including Model Town Industrial Triangle to Sihala and Ari Syedan, the area is within the Islamabad territory; From Ari Syedan to Kahuta, the road falls under Punjab’s jurisdiction.
