Kunar residents want Asadabad-Paron highway repaired

ASADABAD (Pajhwok): Residents of eastern Kunar province have urged the government and aid organisations to reconstruct the Asadabad-Paron highway after flash floods destroyed it.

They say many portions of Asadabad-Paron highway and Ghaziabad and Nari districts routes with the provincial capital had been damaged by recent flash floods.

However, officials say they have started efforts to repairs these routes.

Abdul Basir, an inhabitant of Manogi district, said: “Many parts of Asadabad-Paron highway are damaged by flash floods which cause problems for travellers.”

Waliat Khan, a tribal elder of Nari district, said the district route leading to the centre had been blocked several times since last one month due to rising water level in Kunar river.

He asked the caretaker government and aid organisations to repair the damaged portions of this route.

Meanwhile, Public Works Department officials acknowledged that many portions of Asadabad-Paron highway and districts routes with centre had been damaged by flash floods.

Qari Qutratullah, director of the department, told Pajhwok Afghan News efforts were underway to reconstruct these portions.

He added they had constructed a retaining wall on one side of the river at a cost of 16 million afghanis in order to prevent destruction of Nari district route with the centre.

Flash floods caused life and financial losses to people in a number of provinces in last three months.

kk/ma