Reconstruction of Gardez-Patan road launched

GARDEZ (Pajhwok): Reconstruction work on the 150-kilometre Gardez-Patan highway was launched on Tuesday in southeastern Paktia province.

The 195 million afghanis project was launched at a ceremony where Deputy Public Works Minister Ahmad Shah Wahid, acting Paktia governor Juma Khan Hamdard, members of parliament and the provincial council were present.

Speaking on the occasion, Wahid said the reconstruction works would be competed in two years at a cost of 195 million afghanis being provided by the Public Works Ministry.

He said a local construction company had been awarded the project’s contract, saying the road was damaged mainly by heavy vehicles carrying commercial goods from Pakistan.

The deputy minister urged the provincial administration to make efforts at preserving the key road. He said they planned to reconstruct roads in the Zazi Aryub and Lazha Mangal districts.

Hamdard expressed his pleasure over the road’s reconstruction, which he said would help resolve many problems.

The acting governor said they would try to ensure that quality construction work was maintained in order to avoid problems again.

He said roads measuring 40 km in Zazi Aryub district and 30km in Lazha Mangal districts would be reconstructed in the near future.

Local businessmen expressed their pleasure over the road’s rehabilitation and said it would help improve their business activities.

Trader Ittifaq Ahmad Nek told Pajhwok Afghan News the road had extensively damaged and traders had to face problems shipping their goods on the route.

He said if the road was properly rehabilitated, it would not only facilitate businessmen but also encourage their other colleagues to bring commercial goods from Pakistan through the route.

The Gardez-Patan highway connects eight districts of Paktia and leads to Pakistan’s Kurram tribal region. Dozens of vehicles carrying goods from Pakistan play the road on a daily basis.

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