Rawalpindi: The completion of Phase-I of the Rawalpindi Ring Road, originally scheduled for December 30, 2025, has been further delayed and is now expected to be finished by mid-April 2026, according to sources at the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA).
The 38.6-kilometre route, which starts from Banth Mor on GT Road and ends at Thalian Interchange on the motorway, has seen 85 percent of its asphalt work completed. Officials indicate that the project is progressing steadily but will not meet the earlier March 30 deadline.
The cost of Phase-I has increased from PKR 33 billion to PKR 50 billion, reflecting rising construction expenses and project adjustments.
Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz had previously set a December 2025 completion deadline during a site inspection, which was later extended to March 30, 2026. The new mid-April timeline represents the latest revision in a project that has already experienced multiple delays.
Work on Phase-II of the Ring Road and the proposed broad-based upgrade of Thalian Interchange is still underway and has not yet been completed. Planning also includes the development of transport terminals, markets, education and health zones, industrial zones, an expo center, and entertainment areas along 500 metres of land on both sides of the route.
The Rawalpindi Ring Road project, which remained stalled for 17 years, has been a long-awaited infrastructure development, often referred to as the “missing link” of Rawalpindi. For the first time under the current Punjab government, consistent construction work has been carried out over the past two years.
Authorities emphasize that the project is not just an alternative traffic route, but a key initiative for the establishment of economic zones and urban connectivity in the region.
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