Survey of Wakhan Road Project Completed, Design Phase Underway
Abdul Karim Fateh, Deputy Minister of Public Works, stated that the survey of the Wakhan Corridor in Badakhshan have been completed, and the design work for the road project is currently underway.
In an exclusive interview with Fateh added that the ministry is prepared to commence construction work as soon as the project is approved by the leadership of the Islamic Emirate.
The technical deputy minister of public works said: “This year’s program only included the survey and design, which have been successfully completed. The primary survey was conducted, the team returned, and the report was submitted. Currently, design work is in progress, and we are ready to begin practical construction next year, pending leadership approval and budget allocation.”
Fateh further mentioned that despite weather challenges on the Salang Highway, they have managed to repair critical and problematic sections of the route.
According to him, the Ministry of Public Works is in negotiations with Russian, Iranian, and Chinese companies for the construction of the second Salang Tunnel.
Abdul Karim Fateh stated: “It is expected that we will reach an agreement with a company next year because the existing Salang Tunnel is very old. While it was sufficient at the time of its construction, it no longer meets current demands due to its limited height and width.”
The deputy minister also mentioned that, in addition to the Salang Highway repairs, work is ongoing on the construction of highways such as Kabul-Kandahar, Kabul-Jalalabad, and other roads, including railway development projects across different parts of the country.
He said: “We aim to complete and connect two major north-to-south routes within the next five years—one from Herat to Spin Boldak and another from Hairatan to Khost’s Kharlachi.”
The ministry’s development budget for the current solar year has been estimated at around eight billion Afghanis, and some of the ministry’s projects are being implemented in exchange for mineral resources.
According to the Ministry of Public Works, the initiation of alternative roads for major highways, including the Zabul-Pakistan road and a new road from Kandahar to Hairatan in Balkh province, are among the ministry’s other key projects.
