Acting Minister of Public Works Mohammad Esa Thani announced progress on the North–South Corridor construction project, which is being developed at a cost of $120 million.In addition to the remaining section of the Salang Tunnel, several other projects are currently underway, he stated."This year, we are implementing major projects. Work has begun on the Salang Tunnel, the Nuristan–Kunar roads, Kabul–Jalalabad, Badghis–Faryab, Kandahar–Lashkargah, and the second lane of Ghazni. Asphalt paving of the third lane of the Kabul–Kandahar highway is also planned and will commence soon,” the acting minister told TOLOnews.Technical officials of the North–South Corridor project emphasize its strategic importance, noting that once completed, Afghanistan will become a major transit hub in Asia."This project has strategic importance. Upon completion, it will connect northern Afghanistan to the south and transform the country into a vital transit hub in Asia. This corridor will reduce transit distance to Pakistan and other regional countries by up to 300 kilometers,” said Shir Hasan Khushiwal, the technical officer for southern projects."Thus far, 11 kilometers of the route have been fundamentally reconstructed, and 5 more kilometers are ready for asphalting. Work has also started from Uruzgan province,” said Mohammad Rafiq Mangal, a representative of the contracting company.Several residents have also called for faster implementation of these projects."Our demand is for these projects to be implemented more quickly and for more development initiatives to begin. Such efforts will have a direct and positive impact on the people’s economy,” said Mohammad Aslam, a resident of Kandahar.According to the Ministry of Public Works, the completion of the North–South Corridor will not only boost economic opportunities within the country but also play a vital role in strengthening Afghanistan's trade and transit relations with regional countries. (ICE Doha)

Fonte notizia: Tolo News