KABUL — The Taliban-led Ministry of Public Works has signed contracts worth more than 264 million Afghanis ($3.57 million) with construction firms for the detailed design of the Herat-Kandahar railway.
Mohammad Ashraf Haqshanas, a Taliban spokesman for the ministry, said in a statement that the railway project, spanning a total of 737.5 kilometers, is expected to be completed within the next eight months.
The five sections of the railway project include Herat to Shindand (120 km): 51.97 million Afghanis ($702,900) – Afghan-German Construction, Road-Building, and Railway Company.
Shindand to Farah (120 km): 45.63 million Afghanis ($617,600) – Hask Engineering Services.
Farah to Zaranj-Ghorghori (188.8 km): 69.28 million Afghanis ($937,600) – Hask Engineering Services.
Ghorghori to Lashkar Gah (171 km): 60.33 million Afghanis ($816,300) – Aryakhan Afghan Construction, Road-Building, and Logistics Services.
Lashkar Gah to Kandahar (137.7 km): 37.32 million Afghanis ($505,000) – Aryakhan Afghan Construction, Road-Building, and Logistics Services.
Taliban officials have stated that once the survey and detailed design phases are completed, construction work will begin, subject to securing financial resources for the project.
The Herat-Kandahar railway is expected to enhance trade and transportation in southern and western Afghanistan, though questions remain over how the project will be funded and whether international investors will support it under Taliban rule.
