Margalla Avenue extension reaches 36pc completion as CDA reviews new motorway link
Underpass structural work and four culverts completed as round-the-clock construction continues on the 2.7km Islamabad section and Sangjani Interchange.
ISLAMABAD: The Margalla Avenue extension from N-5 towards M-1 and the Sangjani Interchange project have reached 36 per cent overall completion, the Capital Development Authority said on Friday, as work continued on a road connection intended to improve access to Islamabad, the motorway network and Islamabad International Airport.
CDA Chairman and Islamabad Chief Commissioner Sohail Ashraf reviewed the progress during a visit to the construction site, accompanied by senior officers, according to a press release issued on November 13.
Officials briefed the chairman on different components of the project, saying construction teams were working round the clock across multiple sections. Work was continuing on the approximately 2.7-kilometre main road extension as well as the adjoining service road.
The latest figure follows an earlier CDA update, issued after a November 8 inspection, which put overall progress at 35 per cent. The authority’s latest statement therefore indicates a one-percentage-point increase in reported completion.
Underpass Structure Completed
Officials informed the chairman that structural work on the underpass included in the Sangjani Interchange project had been completed, including its concrete walls and footing slabs. Earthwork, filling and other remaining activities were still to be finished.
Completion of the underpass structure does not mean the facility has opened to traffic. The November 13 statement did not announce an opening date.
At the N-5 Interchange Bridge, piling for the abutments on both sides had been completed, while steel fixing and formwork were under way.
Four culverts included in the project had also been completed, with construction continuing on a fifth. Teams were working on the interchange’s loops and ramps alongside the main road and associated infrastructure, officials said.
Ashraf directed the officers concerned to remove obstacles affecting execution and ensure completion within the stipulated period. He also called for particular attention to construction quality, speed and transparency.
Alternative Access to the Motorway
The extension forms part of a wider scheme to connect Margalla Avenue with the M-1 motorway through the N-5 corridor.
CDA’s planning record distinguishes its approximately 2.7-kilometre section within Islamabad from the National Highway Authority’s adjoining component. In November 2025, the civic agency reported that its section had received approval from its Departmental Working Party, while the NHA had secured approval for its own component from the Central Development Working Party.
The reported 36 per cent progress should therefore not be read as confirmation that the entire connection to the motorway is nearing completion.
During an October 10 inspection, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi directed officials to complete the Margalla Road extension and Sangjani Interchange works by the end of 2026 and maintain double-shift construction. Friday’s release reiterated the requirement for timely completion but did not provide a revised deadline or a detailed delivery schedule.
Ashraf said the completed project would facilitate travel into and out of Islamabad, particularly for people arriving from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and provide another gateway for travellers from other cities.
He said it would also improve access to Islamabad International Airport. The statement did not provide estimated journey-time savings or traffic-volume projections.
