Passengers, drivers urge early Kabul-North highway repair

PUL-I-KHUMRI (Pajhwok): Some passengers and drivers on the Kabul-North highway complain recent flash floods have destroyed a 20-meter portion of the highway in Doshi district of northern Baghlan province, causing traffic jams.

Many parts of the Kabul-North highway were damaged by rain-induced flash floods in Baghlan province two months ago, which are yet to be repaired.

Currently, passengers and drivers on the highway are facing problems due to the road’s deteriorated condition.

Rohullah, an inhabitant of capital Kabul, who was on his way to Kunduz province, said their car remained stuck in Doshi district for an hour.

He said: “Flash floods have destroyed a 20-metre road in the area. The government should reconstruct the road on a priority basis.”

Ilhamuddin Ahmadi, a driver on the highway, said hundreds of cars remained stranded for hours due to the destruction of the highway in Dehanlurkhab area of Doshi district since a month.

He added: “I have a patient who underwent a surgery. He needed to be home soon, but the damaged road kept us waiting in heat for an hour in the middle of hundreds of cars.”

A large number of other passengers and drivers made similar complains and asked the government to reconstruct the road as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, Mullah Abbas Akhundzada, Baghlan public works director, said they had constructed a sub-road near the damaged part and passengers used it.

He said they could not start reconstruction work on the damaged portion as they waited for the water level in the river to reduce. “It is necessary to use this subway till then”.

kk/ma