Collapse of Gulbidi Dam in Helmand Sparks Outrage Over Poor Project Quality
Residents of Washir district in Helmand province say the Gulbidi Dam, built about a year ago at a cost of 19.5 million Afghanis, completely collapsed during the first rains of the year 1405 (March 2026) just three days ago. They are demanding the prosecution of the engineers and officials involved in the design and construction of the project.
According to local residents, the dam was constructed with financial support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and was aimed at controlling water and mitigating the effects of drought in this district. However, its rapid collapse has raised serious concerns about the construction quality and technical supervision of the project.
Washir, located in northern Helmand, has faced consecutive droughts in recent years, turning many villages and agricultural lands into barren fields. In such conditions, constructing small water-retaining dams to store rainwater is vitally important for farmers.
Residents emphasize that the expenditure of millions of Afghanis on a project that lasted less than a year must be transparently reviewed. They call on the responsible Taliban authorities to conduct a public technical and legal investigation into this incident and to share the results with the community.
