Dualisation of Kahuta Rawalpindi Road Project Nearly to Launch

Islamabad: The dualization of the Kahuta Rawalpindi Road Project which was kept on the back burner on political grounds by the previous government is being revised by the National Highway Authority (NHA). The 28.4 km long road project was initiated in 2017 as per directives of the then PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and was kept on the back burner by the previous government on political grounds. The current government has started the process of acquiring the services of a contractor for package II of the project. The much-needed development project is being started after a delay of around four years. The total cost of the project is Rs13.01 billion.

As per details, the said rod project was divided into two packages to ensure early completion of the road and the procurement was started by the then govt. ZKB and SMADB were declared the lowest bidders for package-I and Package-II of the project respectively but the SMADB got the contract. However, after a change of regime in 2018, the project was excluded from the PSDP allocations on political grounds. Recently when the PML (N) resumed power in the center, the project has been once again included in the PSDP 2022-23. The project includes the dualization and improvement of the existing 2-lane Rawalpindi-Kahuta road from Kak Pul interchange to Kahuta.

The NHA has recently revived the project and it is informed that the SMADB is reported to have consented to complete the package II of the project under the same terms and conditions as decided four years back despite an unprecedented hike in the prices of inputs during the last four years. It is reported that the SMADB has mobilized machinery at the site of the project. The NHA has also started the procedure to engage some reputed firms for the completion of package I of the project. The NHA would execute the project as deposit work of the govt of Punjab. Under the project, the existing 6 to 8-meter road will be converted into 4 lanes with a 7.3 meters carriageway on either side of the road.