Residents urge govt to asphalt Cheshti-Sharif-Herat City road

HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): The residents of Chesht-i-Sharif district of western Herat province say their demand to asphalt the road connecting the district with provincial capital Herat City has long been neglected.

Home to eight mines and Salma Dam, Chesht-i-Sharif district is situated 170 kilometers east of Herat city.

Residents of the district say the construction of the unpaved and pothole-ridden road is their long-standing demand and ask the Islamic Emirate government to pay heed to the issue.

Mohammad Maroof, a driver on the Herat City-Chesht-i-Sharif highway, told Pajhwok Afghan News it was a 9-hour long trip as they leave Chesht-i-Sharif district at 8:00 am and reach Herat city at 4:00 pm.

“If the road is asphalted, we will be able to reach our destination sooner with less or no damage to our vehicles”, he added.

He said travelers used to get off the vehicles multiple times to rest because they got tired of the bumpy ride.

Khairullah, another resident of Chesht-i-Sharif district, corroborated Mohammad Maroof’s statement and added that due to the road’s dilapidated conditions, less people tended to travel to Herat city.

Khairullah, a shopkeeper in Chesht-i-Sharif district, said he travels to Herat city only if he needs something direly.

Mohammad Naser, another resident of Chesht-i-Sharif district, said patients mostly succumb to death because of the road’s worst condition.

“Health services in Chesht-i-Sharif district are very limited, that is why the residents travel to Herat city for treatment”.

Shamsul Haq Hamas, the district police chief, said the great desire of the residents of Chesht-i-Sharif district was laying asphalt on the Herat-Chesht-i-Sharif highway.

Hamas urged officials of the Islamic Emirate to consider the problems of the residents of Chesht-i-Sharif district.

But Maulavi Mohammad Idrees, the Public Works Department head, said currently they had the plan to asphalt Kushk Kuhna and Gulran districts’ roads, if they were given extra budget, they would asphalt the Chesht-i-Sharif district highway as well.

Idrees added according to bilateral understanding between the central government and companies investing in lead and other mines in Chesht-i-Sharif district and in mines in Ghor province must also asphalt roads.

It is worth mentioning that Salma Dam, one of the biggest dams in western zone of the country, and some mines of marble are also situated in Chesht-i-Sharif district.

aw/ma

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