The Minister of Public Works on Sunday signed an agreement with a Chinese company for the construction of the 178km-long Dar-e-Suf - Yakawlang road that will run from Baghlan to Bamiyan. 
 
The project will cost more than $204 million USD and will be paid for by the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
 
Mahmoud Baligh, minister of public works, said the Dar-e-Suf - Yakawlang road will connect the central provinces to key highways in the country.
 
According to Baligh, by signing the contract, they have saved more than $50 million USD of the budget of the project.
 
“This project will connect the central regions to key highways in the country. In addition to this project, we have plans to implement more road construction projects in the central provinces in the near future,” he said.
 
Thomas Panella, head of ADB said they will continue their support to empower Afghans in terms of building infrastructure and that by implementing this project a key problem of connectivity of central provinces will be solved.
 
“The project is an important part of north-south corridor connecting the city of Mazar with the central province of Bamiyan.  Importantly this will provide economic opportunities for the central region to which ADB is committed to providing support. It will improve livelihood opportunities,  reduce poverty. And again we are committed to providing services to the north-south corridor  including energy, roads and other infrastructure," he said.
 
The head of the Chinese construction company that won the contract, Lou Shin, said the latest technology will be used to build the road.
 
“We provide more jobs and capability building opportunities and provide a benefit to local community,” said Lou.
 
Dar-e-Suf - Yakawlang road will be an important artery in the central/northern part of the country – a project that will eventually link provinces right through to Kandahar in the south eventually.
 
The first part of the road which is 93km, will be paved from northern Balkh province up to Dar-e-Suf. The second part from Dar-e-Suf to Kandahar province, which is more than 550km long, is being surveyed by the ADB.