Kutchery Chowk Project Cost Surges to PKR 19 Billion
The mega-remodeling project at Rawalpindi’s Kutchery Chowk has seen a significant budget revision, with the total cost escalating from PKR 14 billion to PKR 19 billion. The Communication and Works Department is set to submit the revised PC-I to the Planning and Development Board for final approval. Despite the cost hike, the project is nearing its final stages, with 80% of the work already completed and a target completion date of April 30, 2026.
📉 Why the PKR 5 Billion Increase?
According to senior officials from the Punjab Highway Department, four main factors contributed to the budget spike:
Pedestrian Safety: The addition of new pedestrian bridges, which added PKR 1.5 billion to the total.
Land Acquisition: Increased costs for acquiring land at market rates to widen roads, specifically near the District Courts and Jinnah Park.
Utility Relocation: The complex shifting of utility services into dedicated corridors.
Aesthetic Enhancements: "Esthetic work" on the underpasses and flyovers to improve the visual landscape of the city.
🔄The Triple-Underpass Solution
The project is designed to eliminate traffic bottlenecks at one of Rawalpindi’s busiest intersections. It features:
Kutchery Chowk: A major flyover and underpass system.
Jinnah Park: A dedicated underpass to ease local congestion.
Iftikhar Janjua Chowk: An underpass constructed at a cost of PKR 2.7 billion to streamline flow toward the administrative and military zones.
#KutcheryChowk #remodelingproject #Rawalpindi #MaryamNawaz