ISLAMABAD – Commuters on Islamabad Expressway battled bumper-to-bumper traffic, especially during rush hours, but a major upgrade is finally taking shape as the CDA begins construction of new six-lane parallel road to ease congestion and making daily travel across the capital faster and smoother.
Thousands of commuters travelling between Islamabad and Rawalpindi could soon experience smoother journeys as construction has officially begun on a new six-lane road running parallel to the Islamabad Expressway from Faizabad to Gulberg Greens.
The 8.5-kilometre infrastructure project to tackle chronic traffic congestion along one of the busiest corridors in the twin cities. The new route will replace the deteriorating eastern service road with a modern dual carriageway capable of handling significantly higher traffic volumes.
The project features a flyover at Faizabad connecting directly with the Islamabad Expressway and an underpass at the Khanna Bridge-Lehtrar Road intersection to improve traffic flow and reduce bottlenecks.
Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the construction site and instructed CDA officials to complete the project on a fast-track basis, emphasizing that delays would not be tolerated. Although the project’s official completion timeline is one year, CDA engineers believe the road could be completed in nearly 150 working days if work continues without major interruptions.
The contract has been awarded to M/S Leimar after the company submitted the lowest bid, nearly 13 percent below the estimated project cost of Rs6 billion. Preliminary surveys have been completed, while work is currently focused on clearing the alignment and relocating utility infrastructure.
The parallel corridor is expected to divert local traffic travelling between Faizabad, Khanna and Gulberg Greens away from the main Islamabad Expressway, reducing congestion for commuters heading towards Islamabad and Rawalpindi, particularly during peak office hours. Motorists, however, should be prepared for temporary traffic disruptions around Khanna Bridge and Lehtrar Road as construction and utility shifting continue over the coming months.
Officials are also considering developing a new commercial district along the corridor, similar to Islamabad’s Blue Area. Officials believe the proposed commercial zone could generate significant revenue through future plot auctions, although urban planners will need to carefully manage traffic access, parking and road connectivity to avoid creating fresh congestion.
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