Salang road reopens to light vehicles after months of reconstruction work

Reconstruction work on the key Salang highway and one of its tunnels has been completed and was officially reopened on Wednesday.

Addressing an event to mark the occasion, deputy prime minister Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said the highway and tunnel now meet the required standards and that discussions are underway on work to be done on the second tunnel.

The Salang Pass is the main route that crosses the Hindu Kush mountain range and connects northern Afghanistan with the rest of the country. The route is key for trade and has been used for at least 4,000 years.

Work on the highway started five months ago. However, the pass has only been reopened to light passenger vehicles for now.

Baradar said work on an alternate route, connecting the north with the rest of the country, will start in the near future.

The ministry of public works meanwhile says the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) is committed to rebuilding Afghanistan.

At the same time, the Chamber of Commerce and Investment has welcomed the work done on the highway and said it will help boost trade, especially with import and export of goods.