4-Lane Underpass at Wah Gate No.1 Taxila (N-5), Pakistan
The project is part of an overall scheme of improvement of road network and construction of new flyovers/ underpass on N-5 which is the transportation life line of Pakistan and longest arterial segment among the road network in the country, facilitating high volume of traffic from Karachi to Peshawar & further to Torkham (Afghan Border).
The project site is located on National Highway N-5 at the intersection of Hattar Industrial Road, Wah Gate No.1 and Thatta Khallel Road, Taxila HasanAbdal Section. The road leading towards Hattar Industrial Zone creates congestion on Highway N-5 at Taxila. The main access for Wah Cantonment area also increases the importance of construction of the underpass due to frequent VIP movement of foreign delegates and dignitaries, during which other traffic is stopped for security reasons. In normal traffic flow, congestion is common which generates long queues of goods traffic and disarray movement of local traffic at the intersection, resulting in loss of valuable time of road users. Traffic movement at this intersection was guided by u-turn / right turn but this arrangement resulted in long queues causing loss of time, traffic congestion and fatal accidents.
The objective of the construction of underpass is to ensure smooth and uninterrupted traffic flow, to help in reducing congestion by increasing the safety measures and to reduce the vehicle operation cost. To sum up, the junction of N-5 as the Hattar Industrial Road is also a heavily trafficked artery besides N-5 traffic. The prevailing conditions at the intersection and their adverse impact on the quality of life of the people clearly manifest on the importance and urgency of the need for the 4-lane underpass.
The underpass is a double span reinforced concrete structure. Each span is supporting an intermediate pier piles and pile wall (contiguous piles) as an abutment. Expansion joints are provided longitudinally in the top slab having the overall length approximately 128m. Total length of project is 1286m, the length of underpass being 760m.
The project cost of this NHA (National Highway Authority) project is Rs 758.966 million. The commencement date was 20-12-08 and the date of completion is 14-02-11.