The Capital Development Authority (CDA) is moving forward with long-awaited plans to ease traffic congestion at the Faizabad Interchange in Islamabad, one of the busiest junctions of the twin cities.
At a high-level meeting chaired by CDA Chairman Mohammad Ali Randhawa, officials and consultants reviewed three possible design options for the remodeling project. These include:
-
A flyover connecting Captain Karnal Sher Khan Road with the Islamabad Expressway for Lahore-bound traffic.
-
A combination of flyover and underpass.
-
The addition of new slip roads.
According to officials present at the briefing, the flyover-only design is currently the frontrunner for approval. The CDA chairman directed the engineering team to finalize a design quickly, stressing that it must also account for future traffic demands.
The discussion comes after CDA dropped an earlier Rs. 200 million project to expand existing loops at Faizabad, choosing instead to go for a complete remodeling of the interchange.
The meeting also touched upon preparations for two other upcoming projects — the Shaheen Chowk underpass and the G.T. Road flyover. Officials confirmed that the bidding process had been completed and contracts awarded to a joint venture of Habib Construction Services and ZKB.
Both projects are expected to be launched on September 5, though a one-week delay is under consideration due to the forecast of heavy rains.
If approved, the Faizabad project would mark one of Islamabad’s most significant traffic infrastructure upgrades in recent years, aiming to reduce congestion at the key junction that connects Rawalpindi and Islamabad.