RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has revised its plan to expand Murree Road from Liaquat Bagh to Chandni Chowk, increasing the width from 15 feet to 20 feet on both sides and raising the estimated cost from Rs8 billion to Rs17 billion.
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A senior RDA official told Dawn that the authority’s revised proposal also includes service lanes on both sides to improve traffic flow and ease congestion. The plan, originally submitted last month for approval under the Punjab Annual Development Programme (ADP), was modified on the recommendation of the district administration and resubmitted for final clearance.
The project will require 48 kanals of land for the road expansion, with Rs17.7 billion earmarked for land acquisition alone. Once completed, the main artery from Marrir Chowk to Faizabad will become signal-free, improving traffic capacity and the area’s overall appearance.
The official added that the service lanes already exist from Chandni Chowk to Faizabad, and the addition of new lanes will further enhance traffic movement. Land surveys for acquisition are underway, and construction will begin after the provincial government releases the funds.
The ADP also includes two parking plaza projects proposed by local PML-N lawmakers. A three-storey plaza is planned at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, covering five kanals and accommodating 480 vehicles. At Commercial Market, a five-storey plaza will provide parking for 700 vehicles along with 100 commercial shops, using eight kanals of land.
The official said the Commercial Market plaza will be built adjacent to a public park that previously served as an amusement park, with the RDA obtaining a no-objection certificate from the Rawalpindi Municipal Corporation if approved.
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The revised expansion of Murree Road and addition of service lanes are expected to significantly ease congestion and improve urban mobility along one of Rawalpindi’s busiest corridors.