Rawalpindi underpasses at Race Course and Charing Cross to open by November, Rs 8 billion

Rawalpindi's two new underpasses on Peshawar Road, at Race Course Chowk and Charing Cross, are to be finished in November 2026, Commissioner Salman Ghani told the contractors on a site visit, ProPakistani reported on Friday 16 October. The two projects cost Rs 8 billion together and were about 60% complete at the time of the visit.

The Communication and Works Department is building them. The superintending engineer of Highway Circle No. 1 briefed the commissioner, who told officials to keep the pace without compromising on quality.

What each underpass does

Taken together, the idea is that through traffic on Peshawar Road dips under both chowks instead of stopping at them, one underpass per direction.

What is done and what is left

• Done: piling, deck slabs and capping beams, the heavy structural work.
• Under way: barriers, excavation, moving utility lines, drainage and road surfacing.
• Also on the list: widening and rebuilding the stretch between Bungalow No. 276 and Raffay Mall, and moving utility services underground so poles and cabinets stop narrowing the road.

The commissioner also ordered traffic management with alternative routes and anti-smog measures at the sites. No formal closure or diversion plan has been published, so expect lane squeezes at both chowks rather than a full shutdown.

If you drive Peshawar Road every day

• Leave earlier at peak hours. Excavation and utility work narrow the carriageway around both chowks.
• Dust and smog: construction dust adds to the November smog season. Rawalpindi traffic police and the district administration post route advice on their social accounts.
• Fuel: stop-start queues burn far more than a clear run. Our fuel cost calculator shows what a daily detour costs at today's petrol price.

November deadlines on Rawalpindi road projects have slipped before, so treat the date as a target. We will update this page when the commissioner or the C&W Department announces an opening date.