Motorists travelling between Kandahar and Uruzgan have raised concerns over the lack of safe routes between the two provinces after the Taliban closed the key highway months ago.
 
According to motorists, they are now using alternate routes which are unpaved and not safe.
 
They said the Kandahar-Uruzgan highway has been closed for about five months.
 
“People were stuck here for days because of rain and snowfall. The road is not paved and its security is not maintained. We face lots of difficulties here,” said Azizullah, an Uruzgan resident.
 
Kandahar local officials meanwhile said they will address these problems as soon as possible.                                                                                               
 
Abdul Hanan Munib, Kandahar’s acting governor, said that plans are being drawn up to build a 40km stretch of road as an alternate route.
 
The “initial process has been done and the construction will start in the near future,” he said.
 
Security officials who also use the alternate route said they face lots of difficulties.
 
“Our military vehicles were stuck there and the route was closed (due to the recent bad weather). People do not benefit from this road,” said Bacha, police chief of Shah Wali Kot district of Kandahar province.