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Second tunnel planned for Salang highway to ease traffic congestion
Officials from the Islamic Emirate stated that preliminary negotiations have begun, and if a suitable budget is secured and agreements are finalized, a contract will be signed with an international firm to initiate the project.
The Ministry of Public Works of Afghanistan has announced plans to construct a second tunnel along the strategic Salang Highway in an effort to reduce growing traffic congestion on the route.
Officials from the Islamic Emirate stated that preliminary negotiations have begun, and if a suitable budget is secured and agreements are finalized, a contract will be signed with an international firm to initiate the project.
According to the Ministry, traffic volume on the Salang Highway has increased significantly in recent years, surpassing the current road’s capacity to efficiently handle the flow of vehicles.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesperson for the Ministry of Public Works, confirmed that ongoing work is also being carried out on three key sections of the Salang corridor: the northern and southern Salang routes, as well as the Khonjān–Doshi segment.
Private sector representatives and economic analysts have welcomed the move, highlighting the highway’s vital role in facilitating trade. They stress that the reconstruction and expansion of the Salang Highway will enhance the country’s import and export capacity.
The Salang Highway is one of Afghanistan’s most critical transit routes, connecting northern provinces to the capital, Kabul. It also serves as a major corridor for regional trade between Central and South Asia. Improved infrastructure along this highway is expected to have a significant positive impact on Afghanistan’s economic development.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday that security risks in Central Asia and developments in Afghanistan are among the primary concerns for the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO).
The CSTO is a regional military alliance that includes Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan.
Speaking in Moscow during a meeting with CSTO Secretary-General Taalatbek Masadykov, Lavrov described the region’s security challenges as “central” to the organization’s agenda.
“The problems that are currently among the central ones for the CSTO are new challenges and threats. I am referring to the situation in the Central Asian region of collective security, as well as everything related to what is happening in Afghanistan,” he said.
He praised Masadykov as “one of the leading experts” on Central Asian security, noting that his experience could enhance coordination and increase the effectiveness of allied actions.
Similar to NATO, the CSTO considers an attack on one member state as an attack on all.
Countries in the region have always expressed concern about security threats from Afghanistan. The Islamic Emirate, however, has dismissed these concerns and assured that it will not allow Afghanistan’s soil to be used against another country.
The Ministry of Higher Education of Afghanistan has announced that the leader of the Islamic Emirate has approved the establishment of a faculty dedicated to “Prophetic Medicine.”
According to the ministry, this new faculty will play a vital role in advancing medical sciences and training skilled healthcare professionals across the country.
Afghanistan’s Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs, Noorullah Noori, has announced that the long-delayed demarcation and renovation of border markers along the Afghanistan–Iran frontier will officially begin in the near future.
According to a statement from the ministry, Noori made the remarks during a meeting with Iran’s ambassador to Kabul, Ali-Reza Bikdeli.
He assured the Iranian side that the Islamic Emirate is fully committed to accelerating the process and resolving any challenges that may arise during implementation.
In a separate statement, the Iranian Embassy in Kabul said Bikdeli underscored the importance of bilateral cooperation on border issues, describing it as a key factor in strengthening and expanding overall relations between the two countries.
Officials from both sides agreed nearly three months ago to resume the border-marker renovation project, which had remained stalled for the past seven years.
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