Authorities have announced a major redesign of the Thalian Interchange as part of the Rawalpindi Ring Road project, which is now halfway complete at 38.3 kilometers. The redesign aims to address increasing traffic demands and future expansion plans.
The National Highway Authority (NHA), which has jurisdiction over the interchange, was consulted before deciding to expand the structure into a broader and more complex design. This change is expected to significantly raise the project’s overall cost.
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Originally, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved a revised PC-1 budget of Rs. 33 billion, down from an earlier estimate of Rs. 39 billion. However, with the new interchange design, additional land acquisition, and inflation in construction materials, the budget is now projected to rise back to Rs. 39 to Rs. 40 billion.
The Frontier Works Organization (FWO), responsible for construction under the Rawalpindi Development Authority’s Project Management Unit (PMU), has requested a cost revision citing outdated contract rates from 2021 and increasing expenses in 2025.
The Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) has been instructed to begin Section 4 land acquisition for the expanded Thalian Interchange, which will also be a key component of Phase 2 of the Ring Road.
While progress continues on the main infrastructure, a proposal to develop economic zones along both sides of the Ring Road remains under review. Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz has set a target to complete the project by December 2025.
