Election uncertainty hits housing schemes

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Ministry of Urban Development (MoUD) on Wednesday said the presidential election crisis caused the residential buildings construction projects delayed.

Deputy Minister Eng. Mohammad Akbar Ahmadi said the ministry, together with the private sector, had launched various projects for constructing residential buildings and then selling them at affordable prices to deserving families.

In an exclusive interview with Pajhwok Afghan News, said the projects were ongoing in the capital Kabul, Balkh, Nangarhar, Kunduz, Khost, Badakhshan, Kandahar and Herat provinces.

Work on constructing 7,000 residential buildings is underway in the Khwaja Rawash area of Kabul, but work on the rest of 13,000 buildings has been on hold due to election tensions.

Construction of 5,000 homes in Pul-i-Mahmoud Khan area, 70 housing units in Bagrami district and of 5,000 residential buildings in Khushal Khan area has been already begun. But work on the schemes has been suspended.

Without giving details, he said various residential buildings had been inaugurated in the seven provinces but their implementation had suspended until completion of the election process.

The decision to suspend these projects was made by the council of ministers until the new government formed, Ahmadi said, adding the private sector had plan to utilize $500 million in the construction of residential buildings but the election tensions have halted the development.

He said the election uncertainty had weakened investor interest in Afghanistan. But Ahmadi hoped investment would increase after the new government was installed.

He added the ministry had 97 strategic plans and seven master plans for big cities to be launched during the ongoing year.

He said insecurity had prompted donors to deliver aid behind schedule, besides slowing down implementation of projects.

Ahmadi urged the militant groups not to create problems for the development of Afghanistan and the MoUD.

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