Sada-e Azadi

So that people can walk safely from place to place out of cars’ way, and so they do not get covered in dust and mud, the Kandahar municipality has teamed up with Central Asia Development Group to build new pavements.

“This is a wonderful project that will create many jobs for locals and permit people to drive and walk more easily in our city,” said Kandahar city mayor Ghulam Hamidi.

The project is expected to take only few months and cost 1.5 million afghanis. At least 25 kilometres of pavements will be built and several kilometres of downtown roads will get a new asphalt surface.

“I hope this creates many new footpaths, as my family walks everyday along these roads and it can be dangerous, especially when there is bad weather,” said Kandahar resident Assadullah Athmar. “I will be very happy when this project is done.”

The project is estimated to bring as much as 20 per cent more pedestrian traffic into the downtown area. This extra pedestrian traffic will have a positive effect on the local economy, as more pedestrians will visit shops on their way. The government-facilitated project is also estimated to create 300 temporary construction jobs in the province.

“I hope these improved roads and sidewalks increase business in this city,” said small-business owner Mohammed Nader.

Over the past three years, several dozen new urban improvement projects have been launched in Kandahar thanks to a co-operative effort between provincial and city governments and donors. This type of co-operation is seen as the foundation for many new improvements coming to Kandahar in the future.