Lahore Ring Road update — Southern Loop 4, the Rs45-billion final link. Route, cost, timeline, and what it means for traffic.
Quick answer: Southern Loop 4 (SL-4) is the final missing link of the Lahore Ring Road: an 18km, 6-lane controlled-access expressway from Maraka (Multan Road) to the M-3 motorway at Sharaqpur Road, closing the western gap. Cost: Rs45 billion+. Target: 2 years. Capacity: ~80,000 vehicles/day.
The Route: Maraka to the M-3
SL-4 runs 18 kilometres from Maraka on Multan Road — near Thokar Niaz Baig, the chokepoint every Lahori knows — west to the Sharaqpur Road junction with the M-3 motorway. It’s a 6-lane, controlled-access expressway: full interchanges, no signals, built to motorway standards. This is the stretch that has been missing since the Ring Road’s earlier loops opened: without it, western and southwestern traffic has had to grind through inner-city Lahore. With it, the orbital finally becomes a true circle. The city overview: Lahore updates: the complete guide.
Cost and Timeline
The project is costed at over Rs45 billion — one of Punjab’s biggest current infrastructure spends. The Punjab government has mandated a two-year completion target under the 2026 development push. (Figures cited from project briefings; timelines on mega-projects routinely slip — treat the target as the government’s commitment, not a guarantee.) Land acquisition along the corridor is the usual make-or-break: the earlier Ring Road loops were repeatedly delayed by acquisition disputes, and the same risk applies here.
Traffic Impact: Who Benefits
Daily commuters: anyone travelling through Thokar Niaz Baig or Canal Road gets a permanent bypass around inner-city gridlock. Freight: Sundar and Raiwind industrial traffic shifts onto the new corridor instead of city roads. Motorway users: direct M-3 access from southwestern Lahore without crossing the city. Real estate: the Sheikhupura Road corridor along the new loop is already seeing development interest — new orbitals historically pull housing schemes and commercial strips behind them. Designed capacity: around 80,000 vehicles per day.
The risk — history: every Ring Road loop before this one was delayed by land acquisition disputes, litigation and funding gaps; the earlier sections took the better part of a decade from announcement to asphalt. SL-4’s 18km corridor passes through a mix of agricultural land and developing suburbs where acquisition is already the critical path. The two-year target is the government’s commitment — the city’s experience says to watch the groundwork pace in the first six months as the real signal.
The Full Ring Road in Context
The Lahore Ring Road has been built in sections since 2009: the northern and eastern loops carry the bulk of today’s orbital traffic, and the southern loops have progressively extended the circle. SL-4 closes the western gap — the last piece. Once complete, Lahore will have a full controlled-access orbital connecting the M-2, M-3 and N-5 corridors around the city. For the city’s other mass-transit spine, see Lahore Metro Orange Line; for the wider build-out, Lahore development projects.
Ring Road SL-4: FAQs
What is Lahore Ring Road SL-4?
The final 18km link of the Lahore Ring Road — a 6-lane expressway from Maraka (Multan Road) to the M-3 at Sharaqpur Road.
How much does SL-4 cost?
Over Rs45 billion, with a two-year completion target set by the Punjab government.
When will SL-4 be completed?
The official target is two years — mega-project timelines often slip, so treat it as a commitment, not a guarantee.
How many vehicles will SL-4 carry?
Designed for around 80,000 vehicles per day.
