115 roadblocks removed in Kabul since political change

KABUL (Pajhwok): Since the August 2021 political change in the country, concrete security barriers have been removed from 115 roads, streets and pavements, an official said on Tuesday.

Many roads that had been closed by government officials and powerful individuals in the past have been reopened in Kabul to facilitate the movement of vehicles and pedestrians.

Niamatullah Barakzai, a representative of the Kabul municipality, told Pajhwok Afghan News that some streets and roads were blocked on the pretext of security by officials of the former government.

He said the Kabul municipality at that time was not allowed by the government to remove such roadblocks set up in various parts of Kabul.

But after the political change in the country, the Kabul municipality shared the issue of security barriers with officials of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA), who directed the municipality to remove these barriers, a process that began from the Defense Ministry.

In general, a total of 115 barriers have been removed from roads and streets of Kabul city and the routes were open for pedestrians and traffic, Barakzai said.

“Now, all these roads and streets are open, such roads and streets are not for private use of anyone, no one is allowed to close such routes under any reason and pretext,” he said.

Barakzai did not give a timeframe, but said the remaining roadblocks would be lifted as well.

Kabul residents  appreciated  the municipality’s move to remove security barricades from roads, calling it a good step for urban order.

Toopan Sultani, a resident of Sherpur area of Kabul city, told Pajhwok that officials of the former government had built thee security barriers on streets and on roads which created problems for the public.

Sultani said majority of such streets and roads were now open for the people and he asked the government to reconstruct the destroyed roads as well.

Firdaus, a resident of Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan area, told Pajhwok that people would face many difficulties crossing the security barricades which had been removed now.

He asked the municipality to redouble its efforts for maintaining urban order, remove the remaining security barriers and to pave with asphalt the dirt streets.

Some drivers also welcomed the removal of security barricades from roads and it resolved many problems they faced earlier.

Rahamtullah, a taxi driver, told Pajhwok some streets and roads had been closed by security barriers in the past, they had to face problems reaching to their destination.

“Those problems have been solved and traffic congestion has also decreased in the city,” he said.

Rahmatullah asked the municipality to create more facilities for the residents of Kabul city.

Officials of the former government had closed many roads and streets in important parts of Kabul city such as Wazir Mohammad Akbar Khan, Sherpur, Shahri-i-Naw, Qalai Fathullah, Karti Seh, Karte Chahar, Karte Parwan and some other locations.

Aw/ma

Views: 260