The recent floods in Punjab, Pakistan’s most populous province, have caused extensive damage to infrastructure, with officials confirming that more than 200 national and district-level roads have been affected.
According to a document of the Punjab Disaster Management Authority (PDMA), the M-5 Motorway sustained damage at 13 locations, while four to five more vulnerable points are expected to be affected. As a result, the motorway has remained closed to traffic for the past 15 days.
Motorway Police spokesperson Imran Shah told APP that alternative routes are available for commuters. Travelers moving from Multan to Sukkur can divert from Shah Shams Interchange to the National Highway and rejoin the M-5 at Uch Sharif Interchange, while those coming from Sukkur to Multan can use the same detour.
The Punjab government’s data further revealed that record rainfall triggered urban flooding in Sialkot, Gujrat, Hafizabad and Narowal, while 40-year-high floods in the Sutlej, Beas, and Ravi rivers inundated 27 districts across the province. Though relief operations are ongoing, the rehabilitation of roads and bridges remains a daunting challenge.
The PDMA report noted that the 22-km section between Jalalpur Pirwala and Jhangra was particularly hard-hit, with 15 out of 73 underpasses destroyed. Rehabilitation work has been delayed due to standing water on both sides, and construction will only be possible after drainage is completed. It is expected that the Sutlej River’s water will merge with the Chenab within a week, allowing rehabilitation to proceed more smoothly.
Traffic remains suspended on several key routes, including Jalalpur-Lodhran Road, which was deliberately cracked at certain points to release floodwater. Garh Maharaja-Shorkot Road, Saitpur and Alipur bridges were also damaged, where temporary iron bridges are being installed to restore relief activities.
The report added that the worst destruction occurred in Jhang and South Punjab, while roads affected by urban flooding in Sialkot and Gujrat have largely been restored. Nevertheless, vast stretches along the Sutlej and Chenab rivers in South Punjab remain submerged, forcing relief supplies to be delivered through temporary routes.
Although water levels in the rivers are receding, authorities estimate it will take several more days before conditions return to normal.