CDA to expand Kashmir Highway

The Capital Development Authority (CDA) has planned to construct additional third and fourth lanes on Kashmir Highway, costing Rs 2,149.087 million.
Sources in the CDA told Business Recorder on Wednesday that 12-km long two rigid lanes would be constructed from Peshawar More to G.T Road and would be completed within two years.
This mega project would be funded through Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) and Rs 200.032 million had been allocated for this purpose in the PSDP 2006-07.
The dual carriageway will provide better and smooth traffic flow and will reduce traffic accidents. It shall also provide a durable pavement structure for smooth movement of heavy traffic on segregated rigid lanes. Standard of the National Highways Authority would be followed while constructing the new lanes, an official said.
CDA has already dialysed the Kashmir Highway from G.T Road to Murree Road with 24-ft wide two-lane carriageway. Kashmir Highway was constructed in 1969 during the initial stages of the development of Islamabad. It serves vehicular as well as freight traffic and is also used for VVIP movement. It is the main artery for the inter-provincial transportation and communication.
During the last decade, a substantial increase in traffic especially multi-axle vehicles have been observed with the rapid development of the federal capital and opening of motorway.
The inter-provincial heavy traffic including trucks coming from Margalla and Lawrencepur usually carry load more than the specified load limits. According to a survey, most of the heavy traffic carries as much as 20 to 25 tons per axle against the permissible load limit of 8 tons. As many as 10,000 heavy vehicles pass from Kashmir Highway in 24 hours. The damaging effect of the excessive overloading on the road pavement is quite extensive and substantial. The movement of vehicles carrying abnormal load cause premature deformation of the pavement.
An official said that flexible pavement otherwise also are not designed to sustain such abnormal heavy loads and the only solution to this recurring problem is the rigid pavement.
The rigid pavement has been successfully experimented by NHA on G.T Road and is also being carried out on Motorway. The official further said that although the initial cost of the construction of the rigid pavement is higher than the flexible but its durability and resistance against the other damages under abnormal loading are much more than flexible pavement and it is a cost-efficient engineering solution.
The existing flexible pavement of the Kashmir Highway would be used for the light traffic and proposed additional rigid lanes would be exclusively used for heavy traffic movement, he added.
The topography of the right way of the Kashmir Highway widely differs at different locations. It consists of high vertical profile and huge depression due to Nullahs flowing in the areas. Vertical alignment of existing carriageway does not follow the natural slope of the ground due to minimum and maximum profile restraints.
The estimates of the carriageways are based on the preliminary design for pavement, culverts and protection/drainage works. Two railway bridges each for extended portion for southern and northern carriageways near Golra roundabout will also be constructed.