Herat ready for launch of TAPI, other mega projects

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): The inauguration of some mega projects, including the Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan and India (TAPI) gas pipeline and some other projects have given new hopes and expectations to the people in the country especially people in western Herat province.

Rahmatullah Faizan, deputy head of the Foreign Affairs Department in Herat, said Afghanistan would witness a huge economic transformation in the coming days and the practical work of mega projects such as the TAPI, railroad and electricity would officially begin in Afghanistan.

Mohammad Younsi Qazizada, head of the provincial Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said the TAPI project was vital for the economic development of Afghanistan and added with the beginning of this project Afghanistan’s gas demand would be addressed.

He said annually, more than $400 million would be deposited into the government's treasury from the transit fee alone, which is another good income for Afghanistan.

Meanwhile, some residents of Herat province have emphasised on the practical start of mega projects, especially TAPI, and they say that if the practical work of this project started, it will provide employment for a large number of people.

Abdul Ahad, the resident of Rabat-i-Sangi district who go to Iran for work and come back to Herat province, was happy about the launch of work on TAPI project and said this project would generate work opportunities.

He said when there is work and job creation inside the country, illegal immigration and the wrong treatment of the military agents of the neighboring countries with Afghan migrants could be prevented.

He said: “With the launch of mega projects families will get a piece of bread, and we will work and participate in the reconstruction of our homeland with love and affection.”

Abdul Ghafar, a graduate of Economic Faculty, is unemployed from the past two years. He also welcomed the launch of TAPI project and hoped with the start of TAPI project he and other youth would get work opportunities.

He said with the launch of mega projects in Herat province youth did not need to go to other places for work.

The TAPI gas pipeline go through Afghanistan to Pakistan and India, the pipeline is 1,800 kilometres long and 816 kilometres of the pipeline go through Afghanistan. The practical work of the pipeline is expected to start in Afghanistan in coming two days.