Road repair work: Plumes of dust irk residents

MAIDAN SHAHR (Pajhwok): Slow pace of reconstruction works on the Kabul-Kandahar highway has added to the woes of motorists and residents in central Maidan Wardak.
Residents and commuters say the government must speed-up the reconstruction work and finish it ahead of winter. Noorullah, a shopkeeper in Maidan Shahr city, told Pajhwok Afghan News that they faced financial losses due to the dust pollution because shopkeepers could not display groceries in front of their shops.
He said: “It is always dusty during day and night, no one can keep the door of shop open and the flying dust makes crossing the road difficult, we are in great trouble.”
Shah Lala, a resident of Nerkh district, said the road was ploughed one month ago to be reconstructed, but the reconstruction works were yet to be completed.
He said the contractor should daily spray water on roadsides in order to avoid plumes of dust.
About people’s complaints, local officials said reconstruction works on the highway had been speeded up and efforts were underway to reconstruct the road sooner.
Qari Bakhtiar Moaz, the governor’s spokesman, told Pajhwok Afghan News reconstruction works on the highway had been accelerated and efforts were being made to finish the works fast. He added different departments had been asked to resolve problems of people concerning them, spray water on the road daily basis to prevent dust.
Moaz said: “We have talked to officials of the contracting company, they are trying to finish the work as soon as possible because winter season is approaching and we try to spray water on the road in areas near the provincial capital.”
Reconstruction of the Kabul-Kandahar highway is underway in several parts of Maidan Wardak province by various construction companies.