Work on two major underpasses under the 25-kilometre-long, signal-free Rawalpindi Mall Road project is moving at a fast pace, with significant progress recorded within just one week. The Charing Cross underpass has reached 23% completion, while the Race Course (Qasim Market) underpass has achieved 27% overall progress, according to the latest project update.
The rapid pace of construction highlights the ongoing efforts to accelerate work on the key road infrastructure project and improve traffic flow along the Mall Road corridor. Regarding the Army Graveyard underpass, a section of which was previously dropped from the project plan, work on associated infrastructure, including roads and drains, is continuing even though the underpass structure itself has been omitted. Overall progress at this location stands at 20%.
At the Charing Cross underpass, 240 out of 904 piles have been completed, while 270 out of 852 piles have been completed at the Race Course underpass. Steel pile cages for both underpasses have been fully fabricated, achieving 100% completion. A 294-metre retaining wall is to be constructed at Charing Cross, while a 316-metre retaining wall is planned at Race Course, of which 6% has been completed. The 125-metre retaining wall at Army Graveyard Chowk has been fully completed.
Construction of the southern-side drains is 98% complete at both the Charing Cross and Race Course underpasses, while work on the drains at Army Graveyard Chowk is 48% complete. Work on the graveyard service road is 5% complete. Work on two major underpasses being constructed as part of the 25-kilometre signal-free Rawalpindi Mall Road corridor is progressing rapidly, with the projects expected to be completed within the next few months.
The underpasses are part of a wider plan to establish a signal-free route connecting Islamabad Expressway with Motorway Chowk on Peshawar Road. The corridor is aimed at improving traffic flow and reducing the travel time between the two points to around 15 to 20 minutes. Authorities have set a deadline of the end of this year for completing the underpass construction. The projects are being developed at Race Course Park and Charing Cross on Peshawar Road and are expected to be completed within the next two to three months.