The Ministry of Public Works (MoPW) said that it is seeking bids for construction work on the Kabul-Kandahar and Kandahar-Herat highways.

A spokesman for the MoPW said that the individuals interested in the work should send their proposals to the ministry.  

“The expense of the asphalt will be paid by the street’s revenue,” said Hameedullah Musbah, a spokesman for the MoPW.  

Meanwhile, engineers said the use of low-quality materials is the reason for the premature deterioration of the streets.  

“They would put the money in their pockets and they did not use the standard materials. There was no laboratory to check the materials,” said Kamal Nasir, head of a construction company. 

“The streets are damaged due to too much weight on (trucks). One truck should not carry more than 20 tons, but now they carry up to 30 tons, and this causes the destruction of the street,” said Taj Mohammad Jamal, an engineer.  

The Afghanistan Land Transport Cohesion Council said it is enforcing measures to prevent the overloading of trucks on the highways.   

“The use by overloaded trucks has been prevented. There are street [checking areas],” said Tala Mohammad Otmanzai, head of the Afghanistan Land Transport Cohesion Council. 

The Kabul-Kandahar and Kandahar-Herat highways are main transport arteries n the country and connect the capital to the southern and western provinces.