Kashmir Chowk Underpass Expected to Open on 5 November

The Kashmir Chowk underpass in Islamabad is expected to open to traffic from 5 November 2026. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi has said the project was completed in 27 days and will open on Thursday. Shaheryar Hassan, in a Champ Alert posted the same afternoon, asked drivers to be careful for a few days until the underpass is officially inaugurated.

Dawn reported earlier on 4 November that the work was almost finished after 28 days. A CDA engineer told Dawn the final asphalt layer was to be laid on Wednesday before lane marking, with horticulture still being finished, and that the inauguration could be on Thursday or Friday if the government asked for it. CDA officials told Dawn the inauguration was likely to be performed by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

What the Kashmir Chowk underpass changes for Islamabad traffic

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif laid the foundation stone on 6 October. The Capital Development Authority chairman told the prime minister the cost had been fixed at Rs 1.4 billion, cut from an earlier estimate of Rs 1.6 billion. The CDA says the underpass is meant to ease congestion, improve movement, and strengthen Islamabad’s road network.

Before construction, the junction handled about 107,000 vehicles. The CDA told Dawn that this load brought delays and traffic conflicts, especially at peak hours and during VIP movement. Four slip roads are part of the project. After the opening, traffic coming from the Faizabad side is to pass over the top of the underpass, while traffic from the Serena side is to use the underpass toward Faizabad.

Mohsin Naqvi visited the site to review the finishing work and met the workers. He called them the real heroes for working around the clock. The Nation, ProPakistani, Express, and Urdu Point reported that 6,000 trees and plants have been planted around the underpass.

On 1 November, the Associated Press of Pakistan reported that the CDA had finished 85 percent of the work in 22 days, after construction stopped for two days because of heavy rain, against a 30-day deadline. Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and CDA Chairman Sohail Ashraf visited during the build to push the teams. The opening announced for 5 November is for traffic. The Champ Alert asked drivers to remain careful until the underpass is officially inaugurated.

Our verdict

The Kashmir Chowk underpass is expected to open to traffic in Islamabad on 5 November 2026. Drive carefully for a few days until the official inauguration.

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