The Rawalpindi Ring Road Authority has postponed the inauguration ceremony of the Rawalpindi Ring Road for the ninth time. The authority has decided not to announce a new date for the event, stating that the ceremony will now be held on just 24 hours' notice.
Despite the lack of a set date, officials plan to open the road to general traffic before the formal ceremony takes place. The project, which is increasingly being described as a white elephant, has remained pending for 24 years. While the foundation stone was laid by former Prime Minister Imran Khan in March 2022, construction remains incomplete.
The Rawalpindi Ring Road Authority in Lahore has issued strict instructions to contractors to finish the remaining interchange and the entire toll collection system, which includes the booths, computerized toll collection system, and weighing stations, by the end of this month.
Construction crews have yet to complete one interchange. Additionally, contractors still need to finish the toll plazas, toll booths, computerized toll collection system, and weighing stations.
Officials who repeatedly announced inauguration dates despite the project being less than 100 per cent complete have faced severe reprimands. Following these reprimands, the officials have stopped commenting on the matter.
Repeated delays have pushed the project’s estimated cost higher. The cost had previously reached Rs. 51.32 billion before crossing Rs. 52 billion again during the current week.
