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Ludin wants 2nd Behsud bridge completed in-time

Ludin wants 2nd Behsud bridge completed in-time

author avatar
7 Feb 2015 - 19:45
Ludin wants 2nd Behsud bridge completed in-time
author avatar
7 Feb 2015 - 19:45

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The acting governor of eastern Nangarhar province on Saturday asked the construction firm concerned to complete the second Behsud bridge project within the stipulated time.

Governor Mualvi Attaullah Ludin issued the directives at a meeting he chaired at the Governor’s House in Jalalabad, the provincial capital, his spokesman Ahmad Zia Abdulzai told Pajhwok Afghan News.

The meeting was attended by the construction company head, Alokozai, roads director at the Public Works Department, Abdul Karim Farahi, lawmaker Saima Khogyani and Public Works Director Rassoul Gul Faqir.

Ludin asked the construction company to complete fundamental works of the bridge project by the end of next Afghan calendar month and accelerate the remaining works and maintain their quality.

The acting governor warned if construction work on the project hit a snag, it would incur losses to the government and the construction company and the work done would be swept away by the river.

Alokozai, the firm head, said his company had so far spent $1.27 million from its own resources on the bridge’s fundamental works and the government was yet to reimburse the costs.

After his complaint, Ludin phoned acting Public Works Minister Noor Gul Mangal and urged him to release the allocated funds to the construction company.

According to Abdulzai, Mangal assured Ludin the funds would be released to the firm this week.

The governor insisted work on the bridge should not stop and complete the project as agreed in the contract.

Public Works Department official Abdul Karim Farahi briefed the meeting on the launch of practical work on the Kabul-Jalalabad highway.

He said public order police had established their posts from Surkhrud to Memla area and practical work on the road had been launched.

The governor said his administration would fully cooperate with the firm constructing the Kabul-Jalalabad road.

The old Behsud bridge, a kilometer east of Jalalabad, is the country’s largest bridge having a 360-metre length. The bridge has been first built 50 years ago.

The bridge connects Nangarhar with Kunar and Nuristan provinces and residents belonging 22 districts daily cross it.

The bridge is on the verge of collapse after two suicide attacks took place on it targeting NATO forces two years ago.

Few months ago, a high-level government delegation launched repair work on the old bridge and construction work on a new parallel bridge.

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