HERAT, Afghanistan, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Construction of an essential road linking west Afghanistan's Herat province to the national capital of Kabul, was launched on Monday.
The road is expected to link Herat, which borders Iran, to neighboring Ghor province, onward to the central highland Bamyan, Wardak provinces, and forward to Kabul.
Addressing the launch ceremony attended by officials, Acting Deputy Prime Minister on Economic Affairs Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar said, "The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan would do its best to solve the problems of the people, ensure security and develop the country by launching development projects."
Herat's provincial government spokesperson Nisar Ahmad Alyas said that the road at a cost of 450 million U.S. dollars is planned to be 480 km long and 12 meters wide, and is expected to be completed within five years.
The Afghan caretaker government on Saturday launched the construction of three key road projects in Kabul city with a cost of 13.2 million dollars aiming to reduce traffic chaos in the capital city with some 6 million population. ■
