Work underway on two underpasses to transform Peshawar Road into signal-free corridor
RAWALPINDI: Construction work on two major underpasses at Race Course Park and Charing Cross on Peshawar Road has started as part of a comprehensive plan to establish a signal-free corridor and improve traffic flow on one of the city’s busiest routes.
The two underpasses are being executed by the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) at an estimated combined cost of around Rs8 billion under the Punjab Communication and Works Department. The projects are part of a wider plan to develop a nearly 25-kilometre signal-free corridor connecting Islamabad Expressway with Motorway Chowk.
According to officials, the Race Course underpass is around 1,886 feet (approximately 575 metres) long, while the Charing Cross underpass is around 1,706 feet (approximately 520 metres) long. Both have been planned as two-lane, single-barrel underpasses with arrangements for U-turns and local traffic movement.
The original scheme envisaged three underpasses at Race Course Park, Army Graveyard Chowk and Charing Cross. However, the plan was subsequently revised and the Army Graveyard location was excluded from the underpass component, with an at-grade road improvement planned there instead.
Officials said the two underpasses are expected to be completed within two to three months, subject to the pace of construction and site conditions. The projects are aimed at removing major traffic bottlenecks and allowing through traffic on Peshawar Road to pass beneath the busy junctions without stopping at signals.
Major utility-shifting work has also been undertaken before and during the construction phase, including shifting of electricity pylons, water-supply lines and telecommunication infrastructure.
To maintain traffic flow during construction, alternative service roads have been developed. These include connectivity between Qasim Market and Radio Pakistan and between Maryam Hospital and Rafay Mall, allowing traffic to continue moving while work proceeds on the main carriageway.
The FWO is the principal executing agency for the two underpasses. No separate joint-venture contractor has been identified in the latest available official and credible reports. NESPAK has been associated with the technical and design aspects of the broader road-improvement programme.
The Peshawar Road works form part of a wider traffic-management programme under which several major projects have already been completed in Rawalpindi. The GPO Underpass and Nawaz Sharif Flyover have been completed, while the Kacheri Chowk remodelling project was completed in May 2026.
The GPO Underpass has provided an important link towards N-5 through Kashmir Road and improved connectivity to major healthcare facilities in the area. The Kacheri Chowk project has also been designed to improve traffic movement between different major arteries of the city.
Officials said the broader signal-free corridor is expected to significantly reduce delays caused by traffic signals and congested intersections. Once the network is fully integrated, travelling time between Islamabad Expressway and Motorway Chowk is expected to fall to around 15 to 20 minutes, although the actual travel time will depend on traffic volume and completion of all associated road works.
The Peshawar Road corridor carries heavy daily traffic between Rawalpindi Cantonment, Saddar, Race Course, Westridge and adjoining residential and commercial areas. The new underpasses are therefore expected to provide smoother movement for through traffic while surface roads will continue to cater to local and turning traffic.
Officials said the project is being monitored to ensure construction quality and timely completion. The completion of the two underpasses is expected to further strengthen Rawalpindi’s signal-free road network and reduce congestion at some of the city’s major traffic pressure points.