166m afs e-toll gate being built east of Kabul

KABUL (Pajhwok): Construction work has been initiated on an electronic toll gate on the eastern highway in Sarkhi Pul area of Kabul at a cost of 166 million afghanis.

Deputy Minister of Transport and Civil Aviation, Maulvi Fathullah Mansour, told the inaugural ceremony that the ministry had launched the project as part of its infrastructure development programme.

He said the project, costing more than 166 million afghanis, would be completed within 12 months.

Mansour reaffirmed the Ministry of Transport and Civil Aviation’s (MoTCA) commitment to initiating new projects for the country’s economic growth, improving travel facilities for the public and enhancing the quality of transport services.

He added that the toll gates were being constructed to ensure transparency, provide standardised services to the public and drivers and improve operational efficiency.

Mansour stressed that the launch of the project marked a positive step towards modernising and standardising Afghanistan’s transport system, enabling transparent revenue collection and better management.

Speaking at the event, Mohammad Rustam Hafizyar, Director of Infrastructure Planning and Development at MoTCA, said the toll gate was being built on 7.5 acres of land.

He noted that the facility would be equipped with internet services and surveillance cameras, ensuring that even minor details would be monitored.

Hafizyar further said that 50 different projects were currently under construction across the country, while 48 others were in the design and procurement stages.

Similarly, representatives of the contracting company said the project would include a five-storey administrative building, a hotel for passengers, mosques for men and women, a vehicle parking area, and a car repair facility.