Construction Begins on First Phase of Bandar District Road in Faryab with $7.5 Million Budget

Local officials in Faryab province have announced the commencement of the first phase of the Bandar district road construction project. The project involves building a 20-kilometer road at a cost of 604 million Afghanis (approximately $7.5 million), aimed at improving transportation for residents of the district.

Mawlawi Hamidullah Danish, head of the Public Works Department in Faryab, stated that a total of 40 kilometers of road are planned for the newly established Bandar district. The contract for the first phase has been signed with two construction companies, Hanzala Badghis and Ekro. According to him, the second phase of the project is still in the procurement stage.

The Public Works chief added that the road will be nine meters wide, including sidewalks, and its construction and paving must be completed within the next 28 months. He expressed hope that once operational, this route will reduce some of the transportation difficulties and improve travel in the area.

Meanwhile, Qari Abdulnaser Jami, the district governor of Bandar, said the district has lacked a standard road for the past five decades. He noted that in winter, snowfall causes the roads to be closed for months. During other seasons, residents have had to use difficult and dangerous paths, resulting in traffic accidents.

However, some local residents emphasize that while the start of this project is a positive step, years of neglect indicate that the Taliban administration has so far failed to systematically address the basic infrastructure needs of remote areas. They say the transparent and timely implementation of this project could serve as a benchmark for assessing the current officials’ development claims.

Bandar district is located about 100 kilometers south of Maymana city, the provincial capital of Faryab, and is considered one of the underserved areas of the province. According to local residents, it still lacks many social and public services, and even government administrative buildings are not constructed to standard.