Ring Road project hits another snag
Full land acquisition for the project has yet to be completed, while several critical bridge and interchange designs remain pending. Additionally, the rising cost of construction materials - particularly cement, steel, and aggregate - is expected to further inflate the project's overall budget.
The 38.3-kilometre Ring Road, with an estimated cost of Rs24 billion, comprises five interchanges, two major river bridges, seven canal bridges, one railway bridge, 11 overhead bridges, and ten underpasses.
Rawalpindi Division Commissioner and RR Project Director, Aamir Khattak, has taken serious note of the project's lagging progress. During a detailed site visit, he undertook a thorough inspection of the construction activities, project offices, and quality of execution.
Expressing grave concern over the sluggish pace, the commissioner reviewed the overall status of the project and issued clear instructions to accelerate progress in order to meet the defined targets.
Emphasising the importance of preemptive planning in light of the monsoon season, he called for the implementation of a robust strategy to ensure continuity of work during periods of heavy rainfall.
Khattak further directed that land acquisition processes for the Thallian Interchange be commenced immediately. Additionally, an urgent meeting with the National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman was proposed to expedite the issuance of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) and to finalise approval of the revised design plans.
Directives were also issued to begin construction of the bridge at Chakri Interchange, complete the slope cutting and formation work, and initiate sub-base work at all sites where progress has yet to begin. Acceleration of works at the railway bridge and Banth Interchange was also mandated.
The commissioner was informed that the overall physical progress of the Ring Road project currently stands at 70%. Backfilling operations are underway on various culverts, rivers, and subways between the Thallian and Banth interchanges. Superstructure activities, including deck launching on several bridges, have also recommenced.
He further instructed that detailed daily progress reports be compiled, with work tracked by component and activity. The project is to be monitored in four defined segments: Thallian to Chakri, Chakri to Khasala, Khasala to Chak Beli, and Chak Beli to Banth. A comprehensive schedule outlining all remaining tasks within each segment must be developed.
Furthermore, the Commissioner ordered immediate rehabilitation of access roads to construction sites, many of which are currently in poor condition. Fencing installation and other associated civil works must also begin without delay.
The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has been tasked with assessing the performance of all subcontractors and replacing any that are underperforming. Absolute compliance with quality standards and timely completion targets is to be enforced.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
3 days ago
- Express Tribune
State TV spent nearly Rs140m on power bills
The state-run Pakistan Television (PTV) Headquarters racked up electricity bills exceeding Rs138.94 million over the past five fiscal years, according to official figures submitted to the National Assembly. According to a written response submitted by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in the NA, PTV's electricity expenditure has steadily risen each year, with a total of Rs138,936,472 spent from 2020-21 to 2024-25. In the fiscal year 2020-21, the electricity bill stood at Rs17,287,399, which increased to Rs24,045,382 in 2021-22, followed by Rs28,895,833 in 2022-23. The upward trend continued in 2023-24, when Rs37,693,235 were spent. Although the figure slightly decreased in 2024-25, it still amounted to Rs31,014,623. The cumulative total over the five-year period came to Rs138,936,472.
Business Recorder
4 days ago
- Business Recorder
Lodhran Multan motorway project: MPs seek details of award of contract to ‘non-performing' Chinese firm
ISLAMABAD: A parliamentary panel, Thursday, directed the National Highways Authority (NHA) to provide full record regarding the award for the construction contract of the Lodhran–Multan motorway project to Chinese firm Ningxia Communication Construction (NXCC) through arbitration, despite its status as a non-performing company. The directives were passed by Senator Kamil Ali Agha, convenor Sub-Committee of the Senate Standing Committee on Communications held here while discussing the matter related to the award of contract to a Chinese firm for the construction of the Lodhran–Multan motorway project. Senior officials from the NHA and the Ministry of Communications, including the chairman NHA, Joint Secretary, General Manager Procurement, Deputy Director Procurement, and Member Planning, were also present. The NHA officials have defended the bidding process, stating that NXCC was cleared by the courts after its disqualification. They maintained that all concerns before awarding the construction of 120 kilometres (KMs) long road were addressed, and the Asian Development Bank (ADB), which is involved in the project, had approved all participating firms. The sub-committee has been tasked with probing the Tranche-III (Rajanpur–DG Khan–DI Khan) section of the CAREC project. The terms of reference include a comprehensive review of the project proposal, the complete tendering process, and the technical and financial bidding documents of all participating companies, as well as an evaluation of consultant input and related records. During the session, Convenor Senator Kamil Ali Agha deferred the proceedings, granting the NHA a period of 15 days to collect and submit all relevant documentation required for verification of the company awarded the project. Members of the committee, unanimously, agreed that a fair and informed decision could not be made without examining the complete set of documents. The committee also noted that a recent decision by the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA), which echoed similar concerns, further reinforced the committee's direction. The sub-committee will re-convene after the deadline to resume deliberations based on the submitted records. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
4 days ago
- Express Tribune
Ring Road project hits another snag
The long-stalled Rawalpindi Ring Road (RR) project, which has remained in limbo for the past 24 years, is once again facing the prospect of further delays. Full land acquisition for the project has yet to be completed, while several critical bridge and interchange designs remain pending. Additionally, the rising cost of construction materials - particularly cement, steel, and aggregate - is expected to further inflate the project's overall budget. The 38.3-kilometre Ring Road, with an estimated cost of Rs24 billion, comprises five interchanges, two major river bridges, seven canal bridges, one railway bridge, 11 overhead bridges, and ten underpasses. Rawalpindi Division Commissioner and RR Project Director, Aamir Khattak, has taken serious note of the project's lagging progress. During a detailed site visit, he undertook a thorough inspection of the construction activities, project offices, and quality of execution. Expressing grave concern over the sluggish pace, the commissioner reviewed the overall status of the project and issued clear instructions to accelerate progress in order to meet the defined targets. Emphasising the importance of preemptive planning in light of the monsoon season, he called for the implementation of a robust strategy to ensure continuity of work during periods of heavy rainfall. Khattak further directed that land acquisition processes for the Thallian Interchange be commenced immediately. Additionally, an urgent meeting with the National Highway Authority (NHA) chairman was proposed to expedite the issuance of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) and to finalise approval of the revised design plans. Directives were also issued to begin construction of the bridge at Chakri Interchange, complete the slope cutting and formation work, and initiate sub-base work at all sites where progress has yet to begin. Acceleration of works at the railway bridge and Banth Interchange was also mandated. The commissioner was informed that the overall physical progress of the Ring Road project currently stands at 70%. Backfilling operations are underway on various culverts, rivers, and subways between the Thallian and Banth interchanges. Superstructure activities, including deck launching on several bridges, have also recommenced. He further instructed that detailed daily progress reports be compiled, with work tracked by component and activity. The project is to be monitored in four defined segments: Thallian to Chakri, Chakri to Khasala, Khasala to Chak Beli, and Chak Beli to Banth. A comprehensive schedule outlining all remaining tasks within each segment must be developed. Furthermore, the Commissioner ordered immediate rehabilitation of access roads to construction sites, many of which are currently in poor condition. Fencing installation and other associated civil works must also begin without delay. The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has been tasked with assessing the performance of all subcontractors and replacing any that are underperforming. Absolute compliance with quality standards and timely completion targets is to be enforced.
