Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Thursday inspected the Kashmir Chowk Underpass Islamabad project to check construction progress, after officials told him that 78 per cent of the work had been finished within 20 days. The scheme is now in its final stages, and he directed the authorities concerned to speed up what remains so it meets the stipulated 30-day deadline.
Site progress and the 30-day deadline
During a detailed briefing, officials updated the minister on ongoing construction, the progress already made and the expected completion schedule. They said horticulture, road building and asphalt-laying were moving ahead at the site, while light poles were being installed and associated lighting work was under way.
According to the briefing, the remaining portion of the work is expected to be completed within the 30-day timeframe set for the project. Naqvi again told the relevant departments to accelerate construction and avoid delay. Officials assured him that building and related development activities were progressing according to schedule.
Two days earlier, on Wednesday, Capital Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Sohail Ashraf — the civic body that manages Islamabad’s development — also reviewed the CDA Kashmir Chowk Underpass project. He inspected civil and structural works, asked the team to keep up the pace through better resource management and regular monitoring, and stressed that quality, structural durability and timely completion were equally important. Work, the CDA said, had continued at a steady pace despite a two-day interruption caused by rain. Ashraf directed attention to workplace safety, traffic management and public convenience while construction continues.
Trees, lighting and twin-city traffic
On his visit, Naqvi announced that 6,000 trees would be planted around the underpass to expand green cover and improve the surrounding landscape. He also ordered decorative lighting to be installed around the project.
He said the underpass would help people travelling towards Murree and Muzaffarabad and make commuting between Rawalpindi and Islamabad easier. Measures were also being taken, he said, to ease congestion on the Islamabad Expressway. The underpass, whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, is meant to ease pressure at one of Islamabad’s major intersections and improve links between the twin cities. The CDA expects better traffic flow, less congestion and shorter travel times for thousands of daily commuters once the work is finished.
Timeline: what has happened so far
- Foundation phase: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif laid the foundation stone for the underpass at Kashmir Chowk.
- 28 October 2026: CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf inspected civil and structural works and ordered timely completion without compromising quality or safety; the CDA noted a two-day rain disruption earlier in the build.
- 30 October 2026: Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visited the site; officials reported 78 per cent of work completed in 20 days and said the rest should meet the 30-day deadline.
- 30 October 2026: Naqvi directed faster remaining work, plantation of 6,000 trees and decorative lighting around the underpass.
Aasan alfaaz mein
Islamabad ke Kashmir Chowk Underpass ka 78 percent kaam 20 din mein ho chuka hai. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi ne site ka jaiza liya aur baqi kaam 30 din ki deadline mein khatam karne ko kaha. Yeh underpass twin cities aur Murree-Muzaffarabad jane walon ke liye traffic halka karne ke liye ban raha hai. Yahan roads, asphalt aur lighting ka kaam chal raha hai, aur 6,000 darakht lagaye jayenge.
