Salang highway’s condition lately deteriorates: Motorists

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Drivers say the Salang highway’s condition has lately deteriorated and seriously needs reconstruction.

The Salang road connects capital Kabul with nine northern provinces and thousands of cars ply the road daily.

Mushtaq Ahmad, a driver, told Pajhwok that the Salang highway’s condition further worsened this year.

He said previously he would reach Pul-i-Khumri in four or four and a half hours, but now it took seven hours to reach there.

Naqibullah, a driver of a passenger vehicle, told Pajhwok sometimes they had to spend the whole day at the Salang pass when the number of cargo truck increases.

Farid, a truck driver, said the road’s condition had recently become bad.

“Potholes are increasing on Salang Road with each passing day that have made the traveling difficult. The road will completely destroy if not built soon.”

A number of other motorists also made similar statements and asked the government to fundamentally rebuild the road.

However, Salang Highway Monitoring and Maintenance Department head Abdul Halim Agha told Pajhwok that four portions of the Salang Highway were being repaired.

He said they were trying to find an alternative route for vehicles in order to keep the reconstruction works ongoing.

He said the government was yet to announce annual budget and once they were provided fund, the reconstruction works would be speeded up.

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