Qatar Township’s construction works resume in Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Urban Development and Lands (MoUDL) on Tuesday said construction works of residential blocks in Qatar Township in Khushal Khan area of Kabul city had resumed.

The construction works had been stopped following Covid-19 outbreak in the country. The MoUDL said the remaining works of the township would be completed and put into service next year.

The residential township is being constructed at a cost of $40 million assistance of Al-Gharrafah charity foundation on 16 acres of land in Khushal Khan Area of Kabul city. The township consists 12 blocks with 768 flats, three business blocks, one mosque with the capacity for 2,000 worshippers, two schools for boys and girls and an orphanage.

Kamal Afghan, MoUDL spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News that initial works of the township project were launched with financial assistance of Al-Gharrafah charity foundation during the previous government, which had to be stopped due to the breakout of Covid-19 in the country.

He added that the Acting Minister of Urban Development and Lands contacted Al-Gharrafah charity foundation officials last year, invited them to Kabul and asked them to resume construction works of the housing scheme.

Construction works of the  township recently resumed and 30 percent of the works have been completed.

In response to a question that why the amount $110 million was mentioned for the project, Afghan said, AL-Gharrafah charity foundation would donate a total of $110 million to Afghanistan for different projects, while $40 million of this assistance will be invested in Qatar Township.

About to whom these residential blocks will be distributed, Afghan said: “It is still unclear, once the project is completed, the authorities of the Islamic Emirate will decide under what conditions these residential blocks will be distributed to the people”.

“The aim of this residential project is to create shelter for those Afghans who do not have their own houses,” he said.

Abdul Wahab Seddiqi, a construction engineer with MoUDL, told Pajhwok the construction works of the Qatar Township project had been 30 percent completed and the project would be ready within one year.

Currently four domestic construction companies are working on the project, employing  500 people directly and another 500 indirectly, Seddiqi added.

aw/ma