KABUL, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- Afghan authorities have commenced a significant road asphalting project in western Farah province, designed to upgrade transportation infrastructure and stimulate economic development, a local official announced late Sunday.
The initiative involves paving a 61-kilometer roadway linking Farah, the provincial capital, to Farah Rod district at an estimated cost of 982 million afghanis (more than 14.8 million U.S. dollars), according to Mawlawi Mohammad Wali Idris, director of the provincial public works department.
The improved route is expected to markedly strengthen transportation links among multiple districts within the province, enhance access to both domestic and international markets for local products, and foster greater connectivity between rural communities, Idris said.
The project forms part of the government's broader commitment to expand the national road network and modernize physical infrastructure across Afghanistan, a nation still recovering from decades of conflict. ■