Progress Reported on Second Lane Construction of Kabul–Ghazni Highway

Construction of the first segment of the second lane of the Kabul–Ghazni highway, stretching 24.5 kilometers, has been launched by the Taliban administration and is currently underway. The road begins in Pul-e-Company, Kabul, and extends to Sang Siyah in Maidan Wardak province.

The initial section of this route is 11.8 meters wide, while the rest measures 7.3 meters in width. The road is being constructed with asphalt. The project also includes building two major bridges, 68 culverts, approximately 17 kilometers of reinforced roadside drains along the route, 1,200 meters of drainage in Maidan Shahr, and several retaining walls.

According to available information, sub-base and base course operations have been completed on 13 kilometers of the road. Progress on constructing side drains has reached 96%, and culvert construction is 97% complete. Additionally, about 90% of the excavation work has been carried out.

Meanwhile, construction is simultaneously ongoing on two other segments of the same highway project. Although the Taliban administration has touted this project as an achievement, lack of transparent oversight, risk of corruption, and general public distrust in the administration remain significant challenges facing the project and others like it.