Afghanistan : Qaisar–Dari Bum Road Project

Sovereign Project | 37075-023

The objective of the Project is to help the Government to promote economic and social development and reduce poverty by rehabilitating the primary road network damaged during two decades of conflict and neglect. The Project will support (i) rehabilitation of the Qaisar-Bala Murghab section (90 km) of Herat-Andkhoy road; (ii) installation of road tolling facilities including toll plazas, computers and communications equipment, and weighing machines for the project road; (iii) HIV/AIDS prevention and anti-human trafficking awareness activities; (iv) construction supervision and monitoring; and (iv) incremental project management such as engagement of external auditors to audit project accounts and the payment of additional salary of MPW staff assigned to the PMU and the consultant team.

Project Details

  • Project Officer
    ADB Disclosure
    Central and West Asia Department
    Request for information
  • Country/Economy
    Afghanistan
  • Modality
  • Sector
    • Transport

Related Projects

Project Name Qaisar–Dari Bum Road Project
Project Number 37075-023
Country / Economy Afghanistan
Project Status Active
Project Type / Modality of Assistance Grant
Source of Funding / Amount
Grant 0555-AFG: Qaisar - Dari Bum Road Project
Asian Development Fund US$ 330.00 million
Strategic Agendas Environmentally sustainable growth
Inclusive economic growth
Regional integration
Drivers of Change Gender Equity and Mainstreaming
Knowledge solutions
Sector / Subsector

Transport / Road transport (non-urban)
Gender Some gender elements
Description The objective of the Project is to help the Government to promote economic and social development and reduce poverty by rehabilitating the primary road network damaged during two decades of conflict and neglect. The Project will support (i) rehabilitation of the Qaisar-Bala Murghab section (90 km) of Herat-Andkhoy road; (ii) installation of road tolling facilities including toll plazas, computers and communications equipment, and weighing machines for the project road; (iii) HIV/AIDS prevention and anti-human trafficking awareness activities; (iv) construction supervision and monitoring; and (iv) incremental project management such as engagement of external auditors to audit project accounts and the payment of additional salary of MPW staff assigned to the PMU and the consultant team.
Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy
Impact
Project Outcome
Description of Outcome
Progress Toward Outcome The grant became effective on 17 Aug 2018. An inception mission was fielded in Aug/Sep 2018 to discuss with the government the overall progress of project, in particular, status of procurement of works and recruitment of supervision consultant. A transport portfolio review mission was undertaken in Nov/Dec and Jan/Feb 2019 to review the overall progress of the project. The Mission was concerned over the long delay in the procurement of civil work and recruitment of the supervision consultant. The government is working on the revised Submission 2 for supervision consultant. The ADB Missions recommended that the process needs to be expedited to avoid future cost overruns and grant extensions.
Implementation Progress
Description of Project Outputs
Status of Implementation Progress (Outputs, Activities, and Issues)

Procurement of the 3 civil works contracts is ongoing. These works has not started due to security situations. Afghanistan is currently a FCAS country and conflict situations hinders the works progress.

Installation or construction of roadside infrastructure facilities is under preparation.

Strengthening of institutional capacity of MPW is under preparation.

Improvement of disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation capacity in the road subsector is under preparation.
Geographical Location
Safeguard Categories
Environment B
Involuntary Resettlement B
Indigenous Peoples C
Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects
Environmental Aspects The project is categorized as B for environment. The road alignment will mostly follow the existing dirt track's alignment thus the environmental impacts are expected to be minimal. The initial environmental examination (IEE) prepared for Project 2 (G0244/G0291) in 2010 was updated in accordance with ADB's SPS (2009), and was disclosed on 15 August 2017. It is anticipated that the major environmental impacts of the project will occur during construction phase and will include soil erosion, air and water pollution, noise impacts, occupational health and safety, and cutting of trees. Adequate mitigation measures are included in, and will be implemented through, an environmental management plan (EMP).
Involuntary Resettlement The project is categorized as B for involuntary resettlement. Although most of the road improvement work will be carried out within the existing right of way. acquisition of privately-owned land presently being used for agricultural, residential and commercial purposes may be needed to meet the minimum national road standard pavement and embankment width of 12 meters. Based on preliminary assessment, works in all three road sections (Dari Bum-Bala Murghab; Bala Murghab-Gormach; and Gormach-Sar Chashma) will require the acquisition of 34.6 ha of agricultural and 8.96 ha of residential and commercial land. Thus, potentially impacting about 14,701 square meters of primary and secondary residential and commercial structures. It is estimated that 491 households (3,437 persons) will be affected. Of these, 168 persons will experience significant impacts, i.e., possibly displaced from housing or potential loss of 10% or more of their productive assets. Due to challenging security issues, access to project sites can be difficult. Therefore anticipated land acquisition impact assessment has been made using satellite imagery in combination with highway design software. Based on this and consultation with village representatives, 3 draft land acquisition and resettlement plans (LARPs) have been prepared in accordance with Afghanistan law and ADB SPS (2009). The draft LARPs have been endorsed by MPW and disclosed on the ADB website on 15 August 2017, and will be updated following detailed design, consultations, detailed measurement surveys and valuation of assets.
Indigenous Peoples The project is categorized as C for indigenous people. Communities along the project alignment comprise mainly of Pashtuns and other smaller ethnic groups. These communities are all mainstreamed into Afghanistan's general society and culture and cannot be considered as indigenous people as defined under ADB''s SPS, 2009.
Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation
During Project Design Detailed tasks include undertaking consultations with relevant stakeholders to present the recommendations and seek inputs before finalizing the recommendations. Additional public consultations will be conducted during the detailed design stage (before construction).
During Project Implementation MPW and ADB will maintain and regularly update its website with information on the Project, and regularly consult with the public, civil society organizations and development partners in respect of each of the preceding matters.
Business Opportunities
Consulting Services

A consultant team will be hired to help MPW implement the Project. They will (i) oversee overall project management; (ii) assist with the procurement of civil works; (iii) supervise construction and installation of equipment, including reviewing detailed designs prepared by contractors; (iv) supervise implementation of HIV/AIDs component; (v) certify completed works by force account as well as by contractors; (vi) provide on-the-job trainings for MPW staff assigned to the consultant team; implementing and supervising the training component of the project; and (vii) undertake benefit monitoring and evaluation. The consulting services will require about 96 person-months of international consulting and about 150 person-months of domestic consulting.

All consultants will be selected and engaged in accordance with ADB's Guidelines on the Use of Consultants and other arrangements for recruitment of domestic consultants acceptable to ADB. It is proposed to use direct selection for the consulting services for construction supervision and monitoring. The consulting services contract will be awarded to the same firm who will be engaged under the ongoing Andkhoy-Qaisar Road Project since the firm will be involved in the same Andkhoy-Herat road section.
Procurement Procurement of goods, services, and civil works to be financed under the ADB loan will be carried out in accordance with ADB's Guidelines for Procurement. Due to the emergency nature of project implementation, the Government requested flexible application of such guidelines, including shorter bidding period of 60 days for the procurement of civil works under international competitive bidding. Civil works contracts will be procured through international competitive bidding (ICB). A single-stage two-envelope procedure with no separate prequalification, which has been used in the three preceding ADB-financed road projects in Afghanistan and has proven to be effective in reducing time required for procurement, will be used. Equipment will be procured by ICB for contracts with an estimated value of more than $1,000,000, international shopping for contracts estimated at $100,000-1,000,000, and direct purchase arrangement for contracts valued at less than $100,000. All international procurements will be undertaken by the Government Procurement Unit operating under ARDS.
Responsible ADB Officer ADB Disclosure
Responsible ADB Department Central and West Asia Department
Responsible ADB Division Transport and Communications Division, CWRD
Timetable
Concept Clearance 17 Jul 2017
Fact Finding 17 Jun 2017 to 25 Jun 2017
MRM 16 Aug 2017
Approval 06 Dec 2017
Last Review Mission -
Last PDS Update 08 Dec 2020

Grant 0555-AFG

Milestones
Approval Signing Date Effectivity Date Closing
Original Revised Actual
06 Dec 2017 01 Aug 2018 17 Aug 2018 30 Jun 2023 - -
Financing Plan Grant Utilization
Total (Amount in US$ million) Date ADB Others Net Percentage
Project Cost 334.00 Cumulative Contract Awards
ADB 330.00 27 Apr 2023 1.37 0.00 0%
Counterpart 4.00 Cumulative Disbursements
Cofinancing 0.00 27 Apr 2023 1.77 0.00 1%
Status of Covenants
Category Sector Safeguards Social Financial Economic Others
Rating Satisfactory Satisfactory Satisfactory - - Satisfactory

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