The Ministry of Public Work (MoPW) said that the construction and repair of the Salang Highway has ended and that within less than one month, the highway will be reopened for traffic.

Salang is one of the main highways which connects 9 north and northeastern provinces to Kabul.

The construction of the highway began on September 9 and ended on Thursday (November 30), according to the officials.

“We have stopped work in areas ... that are facing glacier problems,” said Abdul Hakim Agha, head of the maintenance department of Salang.

“This road has been constructed with high standards of what the people and the Islamic Emirate expected,” said Abdul Ali Qudratullah Amini, Parwan’s Governor.

Some passengers and drivers meanwhile expressed concerns, saying that the use of Khawak and Shiber paths will be difficult to use in the winter.

The Khawak and Shiber paths are alternative ways dedicated by the Islamic Emirate until Salang is reopened for traffic.

“It is impossible that Shiber and Khawak paths could be alternatives to Salang. The only path for passengers’ transportation is Salang,” said Mohammad Mohsin Kawiani, a resident of Baghlan.

“I couldn’t go through the Shiber and Khawak paths because the vehicles would have stopped in many areas,” said Mohammad Farid Amini, a driver.

The officials within the MoPW, said that even with the reopening of the highway, the construction on some parts of the Salang highway will be continuing.