Retaining wall worth 75m afs being built in Kandahar

KANDAHAR CITY (Pajhwok): Construction work on a 5,200-metre-long retaining wall has been launched at a cost of more than 75 million afghanis in the Spin Boldak district of southern Kandahar province, an official said on Monday.

Acting Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Maulvi Mohammad Younis Akhundzada said the retaining wall was being constructed in Kasai and thousands of acres of land would be saved from floods with its completion.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, he said the cost of the project would be paid by the Ministry of Finance. The interim government was also trying to build a dam in the area, he revealed.

He added: "No matter how much work we do, we do it with our own budget and don't borrow money. We don't ask anyone for help and this wall will cost 75.6 million afghanis.”

The retaining wall will pass through Turkzo, Mahboob Khan, Qazino and Nadu Kohul villages of the district. The project will take six months to complete.

Residents of the area hope with the construction of the retaining wall, their houses and land will be protected from floods.

Akhtar Mohammad, a resident of Kasai area, said: "We were happy with the launch of work on the wall, which will protect our lands and houses from floods."

Residents also asked the government to build a water dam in their area.

kk/mud