Repeated incompetence in project management; The Taliban are once again blocking the Salang Highway.
Continuing the Taliban’s lack of planning and poor management of infrastructure projects, the group’s Ministry of Public Works has announced that the strategic Salang Highway will be closed to trucks from the first of Asad.
According to the ministry, the purpose of this decision is to complete the remaining parts of the Salang reconstruction project.
This is the second time in the past year that the vital north-south route of the country has been closed under the pretext of construction work.
Such actions without careful planning, proper information, and the creation of effective alternative routes have not only disrupted people’s daily lives, but have also seriously damaged the economy of the northern and central regions of the country.
Despite the Ministry of Public Works’ claim to provide an alternative route for small trucks and passenger vehicles, past experiences have shown that these routes are inefficient, unsafe, and unable to handle the volume of traffic on the main highway.
People in different regions have repeatedly complained about the slow pace of work, frequent project stoppages, and lack of advanced equipment in the reconstruction process.
Analysts believe that the Taliban, due to a lack of specialized technical staff, weak supervision, and mismanagement, are advancing infrastructure projects in a discontinuous and erosive manner that is not only time-consuming, but also costly and inefficient.
The Salang Highway is one of the country’s vital economic arteries, and its repeated closures, without careful planning, clearly reveal the Islamic Emirate’s incompetence in managing the country’s public and infrastructure needs.
