The hardships of citizens traveling on the busiest roads of Islamabad have increased as the Capital Development Authority (CDA) has failed to complete the Park Road Underpass project on time. Motorcyclists and car owners who ply the road daily expected the construction work to be completed by the end of July 2026. However, the excavation sites, heavy machinery and narrow road sections will remain in place for another few weeks due to the slowness of the ongoing work at the Margalla enclave.

Why was the Park Road underpass project delayed?

Civic bodies often make lofty claims of speedy completion of infrastructure projects to ease public pressure, but bureaucratic laxity and delays in supply of construction materials thwart these timelines. Contractors on site say the displacement of underground utility lines and monsoon rains in recent weeks have severely affected excavation work. When municipal bodies do not monitor the progress of projects properly, common citizens pay the price in the form of fuel wastage and mental anguish on a daily basis.

The delay is affecting the daily routine for every commuter coming from Chak Shahzad, Park Enclave or the suburbs towards the centre. The ground facts are something like this:

  • Heavy traffic jam from Chak Shahzad to Tarara Chowk during rush hours.
  • Roadside shopkeepers and residents exposed to mud and dust.
  • Frequent breakdown of vehicles due to poor condition of temporary bypass roads.

Impact on daily commuters

Anyone who passes through this construction zone in the morning or evening knows how difficult it has become to travel on alternate routes. Traffic police have deployed additional personnel to control the bottlenecks but the narrow alternate routes are unable to handle the deluge of vehicles and motorcycles. Commuters say they need an extra thirty to forty-five minutes on both sides just to cross the construction zone.

Besides, the traders in the nearby commercial centers are also worried as the traffic has reduced due to dust and road closures. Delivery vehicles are unable to arrive on time and even school buses have to be rerouted to avoid being stuck in traffic for hours.

What should you do in this situation?

If your daily commute involves the same construction zone, you may need to change your travel routine immediately to save both peace of mind and fuel.

  • Leave home at least twenty minutes earlier than your usual time.
  • Be sure to check the live traffic situation on applications like Google Maps or Waze before starting the car engine.
  • Use internal service roads of Chak Shahzad or Park Enclave as an alternative, even if it takes a bit longer.

What can be expected next?

Keep a close eye on the new notifications released by CDA in the coming days to know the new final date of the project. There is increasing public pressure on municipal authorities to provide a responsible timeline rather than mere verbal accruals. If the relevant contractors are penalized for missing the July target, this will increase pressure on the management teams to speed up the work.