Islamabad: A long-awaited road project connecting Margalla Avenue with the Islamabad-Peshawar Motorway (M-1) has been finalized, paving the way for improved connectivity between Islamabad and Rawalpindi. Officials from the Capital Development Authority (CDA) confirmed the development on Sunday.
The upcoming road will span 3.4 kilometers—1.6 km in Islamabad and 1.8 km in Rawalpindi. The CDA will oversee the entire construction effort, which aims to ease traffic congestion and provide an alternative route between Islamabad and GT Road (N-5).
The Rs. 5.45 billion project, approved in August 2023, includes both road construction and land acquisition. According to sources, a total of 181 kanals of land is required—51 kanals in Sangjani (Islamabad) and 130 kanals in Badana Kurd (Rawalpindi). Land acquisition has already begun, with compensation rates to be announced by the concerned authorities in the coming weeks.
Notably, the new road alignment avoids densely populated residential areas, addressing concerns raised about earlier plans. The pre-award phase has been completed by the CDA’s land directorate in collaboration with the ICT Revenue Department. The project now awaits final approvals before construction begins.
“This road is vital to fully utilize Margalla Avenue,” said CDA Member Engineering Syed Nafasat Raza. “As soon as land acquisition is complete, we’ll move forward with construction.”
The six-lane road is designed to improve traffic flow and serve as a strategic bypass for commuters traveling between the twin cities. Construction is expected to be completed within eight months once work is underway.
Originally, Margalla Avenue was envisioned to stretch from Bhara Kahu to GT Road through the Margalla Hills’ foothills, but that segment remains incomplete. The new M-1 link is seen as a key step in reviving the broader vision for the avenue.
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