Countdown to the opening of Afghanistan’s largest infrastructure project

KABUL (SW): The implementation of Afghanistan’s largest infrastructure project begins tomorrow with a ceremony to be held in Herat province hosting more than 1000 senior officials from Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India.

Herat’s local administration said the preparations for the ceremony have been started; painting of walls, painted lines on the roads and decoration of halls for hosting guests have been completed and that Herat city is fully prepared to host the senior government officials from these four countries.

On the basis of the decision of the Herat Military Council, the entry of cars into the city have been banned since Tuesday this week to ensure the safety of the guest coming for the opening ceremony of TAPI project, and from today onward all the vehicles plying the city streets are banned as well.

Gen. Murad Ali Murad, deputy security of Ministry of Interior told Salam Watandar that the terrorist groups had been trying to create a problem during this ceremony, however, the security forces uncovered their plans and barred them to destabilize the security at the ceremony. Gen. Murad assured that the security at the opening ceremony of TAPI project will be tight and there is no major concern ahead.

Jilani Farhad, the spokesperson for the governor of Herat said that the preparation to renovate and decor the travel routes for guests had been started two months ago and has been completed recently.

Preparation of Maulana Jalaludin Balkhi saloon, reconstruction of “Nigaristan Behzad”, the guest hall at the governor’s house for holding the exhibition, construction of two small fields for guest’s choppers to land in the north of the city and in the township of Torghundi, renovations of roads, boulevards, painting of walls, road fences, planting of hundreds of ornamental plants and flowers, and the installation of ‘slogans of support for TAPI project’ were the renovation plans for the ceremony which have been completed.

The officials of the Herat’s Information and Culture Directorate have also been trying to launch cultural programs concurrently with the ceremony of TAPI project.

Aria Roofian, the director of information and culture in Herat province said they have been trying to turn Herat into the cultural corridor of Central Asia and South Asia in the tomorrow’s ceremony for TAPI project.

Exhibition of Arts, local music, local handicrafts and tourist attractions, paintings and calligraphy are among the programs which will be showcased at tomorrow’s ceremony.

Cultural experts see the ceremony of TAPI project as a great opportunity for the introduction of Herat as the “jewel of Khorasan” to the world, especially to the regional countries.

Herat’s governor, Asif Rahimi said that with the implementation of the TAPI project, economic cooperation will be established between the Central Asian and South Asian countries, and this project will serve as an opportunity for Afghanistan to escape from economic tendencies.

“With the implementation of this project, the TAPI countries will become the economic zone for the Central Asian countries by being energy independent”, he added.

Meanwhile, the Herat Chamber of Commerce and Industries and some merchants considered the TAPI project to be as an opportunity for investment in Herat province saying that this project will increase the trade among the merchants in these countries, especially in Afghanistan.

With the opening of TAPI project, TAP project, railways, and fiber optics project in Afghanistan, hundreds will be employed. According to a report, nearly 14000 people will be employed in a variety of fields including construction, technical, and transportation of required materials for the TAPI project.

The residents of Herat urged the government to adopt higher standards and transparency in this project.

Some political analysts believed that the TAPI is beyond just a project, and stressed that the project could lead Afghanistan to further socio-economic development and cooperation between the Central and South Asian countries.

In a conversation with Salam Watandar, these political analysts and economic experts, stressed that the TAPI project can have an impact on the peace and stability of the region, in particular Afghanistan, which could force Pakistan to cease its support of terrorism, because the transit of the TAPI from this country intertwines the conflicting interests and, on the other hand, increases Afghanistan’s position as a central part for the peace and security of the region.

Mohibullah Noori, the director of policy and coordination of Security Council, supporting the TAPI project said at a news conference today (Thursday) in Kabul, that TAPI is one of the biggest infrastructure and economic projects in Afghanistan and should be supported. According to Mr. Noori, all residents of Afghanistan must support the major economic projects.

Firouz Masjidi, Deputy Minister for Private Sector and Industries of the Ministry of Commerce and Industries, also said that TAPI will connect Afghanistan to a Transit Crossing.

Shah Hussain Mortazawi, the head of office of spokesperson for the President, at another news conference in Kabul said that launch of the TAPI project will create good opportunities in many different sectors in Afghanistan.

What is TAPI project?

TAPI project is a gas pipeline from Turkmenistan to Afghanistan, Pakistan and India which is more than 1800 kilometers long, and 816 kilometers of it rest in Afghanistan only.

Afghanistan will purchase 500 million cubic meters of gas annually in the first 10 years of this project, and similarly in the second 10 years of the project will purchase 1 billion cubic meters annually, and in the last 10 years of this project will purchase 1.5 billion cubic meters of gas annually from Turkmenistan under the TAPI agreement.  

Though TAPI project pipeline, 33 billion cubic meters of gas will be transferred from Turkmenistan to Pakistan and India transiting Afghanistan, and Afghanistan’s revenue from this project will be between $400 million and $500 million annually.

Afghan officials said that this income is equivalent to the one fourth (1/4) of the National Unity Government’s current revenues.

ENDS