Unfinished toll booths, electronic toll collection and traffic management systems continue to delay the 38.3-kilometre road, with officials now targeting November for its opening.
Rawalpindi Ring Road has missed its sixth opening deadline, leaving residents and commuters waiting again for a major road project expected to help reduce heavy traffic in the city.
The 38.3-kilometre, six-lane road connects Banth on GT Road with the Thallian Interchange near the M-2 Motorway. Although most of the main road is complete, several important facilities needed to open it to traffic are still unfinished.
These include toll booths, the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) and the Electronic Toll Collection (ETC) system. Work on the Thallian Interchange also remains incomplete.
Project Cost Has Increased Sharply
The Ring Road was initially estimated to cost Rs26.9 billion. Its cost has increased substantially during years of delays and revisions.
Recent reports put the overall project cost above Rs58 billion, with the final amount potentially approaching Rs60 billion. A revised project estimate of Rs50.4 billion was approved in October, while land acquisition costs were reported separately.
The rising cost and repeated delays have increased questions about when the road will finally become available to the public.
Four Interchanges Are Complete
The Ring Road has five interchanges. Four—Banth, Chak Beli Khan, Adiala Road and Chakri Road—have been completed, while work on the Thallian Interchange remains pending.
The unfinished tolling and traffic management systems are also holding up the opening. These facilities are needed to manage traffic and collect tolls once the road becomes operational.
November Is the Latest Target
The Rawalpindi commissioner has set a November target for opening the road to traffic. However, the exact opening date has not been confirmed.
Once operational, the Ring Road is expected to help heavy vehicles bypass busy parts of Rawalpindi, potentially easing congestion and improving travel for commuters and businesses.
The project’s repeated delays mean residents will have to wait longer to see these benefits.
Islamabad Ring Road Also in the Pipeline
Separately, the Islamabad Ring Road project, planned to connect Taxila with Bharakahu and Bharakahu with the Rawat-Banth area, has a reported completion deadline of June 30, 2028.
Once both projects are completed, the wider road network is expected to improve regional connectivity and provide alternative routes for long-distance traffic moving between Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan and other destinations.
For now, the key question remains whether the latest November target will finally bring Rawalpindi Ring Road into operation.
