HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): The Prime Minister of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has approved the comprehensive master plan for Herat city, the capital of Herat province, local officials said on Tuesday.
Governor’s spokesman Mufti Mohammad Yousuf Saeedi said the master plan was completed after nearly two years of technical studies, field assessments and feasibility analyses, and has now been formally approved by the IEA leadership.
He said the document was prepared in coordination between the Herat local administration, the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing (MoUDH) and the provincial department of urban development and housing and would serve as a roadmap for the city’s future growth and development.
He added that the plan includes land-use zoning for residential, commercial, industrial, service and recreational areas; development of a new city on 50,000 jeribs of land; expansion of the road network; creation of industrial zones; development of logistics centres; reduction of traffic congestion; expansion of green spaces; and protection of historical and cultural sites.
It also emphasises urban infrastructure development, including water supply and sewage networks, prevention of unregulated construction, job creation and attracting domestic and foreign investment.
Local officials said implementation of the master plan would usher Herat into a new phase of sustainable growth and development, improving living standards while strengthening the province’s economic position.
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