Badakhshan ring road project inaugurated

FAIZABAD (Pajhwok): Rural Rehabilitation and Development Minister Mujeeb Rahman Karimi on Monday inaugurated the ring road project in northeastern Badakhshan province and nine other road projects in the province.

According to a Pajhwok Afghan News report, the projects include a 558-kilometer road near the Tajikistan border, which was launched in 2016.

The road connects Ishkashim, Sheghnan, Maimi, Nusi, Sheki, Kuf Ab, Khwahan, Raghistan, Yawan and Shahr-i-Buzurg districts of Badakhshan with its provincial capital, Faizabad.

Minister Karimi, speaking at the ring road project inaugural ceremony, said that the road connected nine districts with the provincial capital and benefited 150,000 people.

He said a 60-kilometer road between Pamir Kuchak area and Wakhan district would also be completed soon.

Karimi said nine other road projects in different districts of the province that would cost 800 million afghanis were launched today.

He did not provide details about the projects but said they would benefit 200,000 people once completed.

Badakhshan Governor Mohammad Zakarya Sawda told the ceremony, “The needs of Badakhshan people are higher than what they avail, but despite insufficient government’s resources, good projects are still implemented in the province.”

Sherzad Musavi, a resident of Shaki district, told Pajhwok that they were happy about implementation of the ring road because they faced great inconvenience.

He said the road should be further widened so cargo trucks could also move ply it and it would help people’s economy.

mds/ma