Newly constructed Erdogan Interchange link road collapses after rain

The newly constructed link road of the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Interchange in Islamabad has reportedly partially collapsed after heavy rains pummelled the city, with videos showing potholes on the road going viral on social media. 

Multiple workers can be seen in the video, repairing the road with heavy machinery scattered across the surface. 

The project, worth Rs4.1 billion, has two components — a flyover and an underpass at the junction of Jinnah Avenue and 9th Avenue. The project included the construction of 4.3 kilometres of roads connected to sector F-10 and the installation of two kilometres of drains for rainwater drainage.

On February 19, 2025, Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif inaugurated the Recep Tayyip Erdogan Interchange at Jinnah Avenue. 

As per Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, the project was initially planned for completion in six months. However, the timeline was first shortened to 120 days, then 100 days. The project was finally finished in just 84 days.

The government wanted to name one of the underpasses of Serena Interchange after Erdogan; however, later on, it was decided that instead of one underpass of the Serena project, the entire Jinnah Avenue project should be named after the Turkish president, as both countries enjoyed a close relationship.

Social media users have raised concerns about the quality of work on the link road at Tayyip Erdogan Interchange in Islamabad. One user took to X (formerly Twitter), writing, “The road of the recently constructed Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Interchange in Islamabad, built in record time, collapsed after just one rainfall. On one side, a nighttime video shows a large pothole on the road, while on the other side, a morning video shows the pothole being filled.”

Another user quipped, “Someone should inform Tayyip Erdoğan that the flyover named after him in Islamabad collapsed after the very first rainfall.”

“There is always room for improvement in construction projects. Hopefully, precautions will be taken in the future,” said a third user.