Afghanistan : Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Corridors 5 and 6 (Kabul-Jalalabad) Road and Border Services Improvement Project
The proposed project will finance the construction of 85 kilometer (km) of road section in southeastern Afghanistan from Zeyart Haji (Sapary) to Mimla (Jalalabad) which is the middle section of the Kabul to Jalalabad alternative road and among the nation's strategic economic corridorsthe lifeline of Afghanistan export and import through Karachi, Pakistan. The road section is also part of the key corridors under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program. This is the second attempt to complete this road section and will be using the fragile and conflict-affected situation (FCAS) approach by providing opportunities for greater participation of national contractors and consultants, facilitating community engagement through community development programs, and flexible security provision to the contractors.
Project Details
-
Project Officer
ADB Disclosure
Central and West Asia Department
Request for information -
Country/Economy
Afghanistan -
Sector
- Transport
| Project Name | Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation Corridors 5 and 6 (Kabul-Jalalabad) Road and Border Services Improvement Project | ||||
| Project Number | 53025-001 | ||||
| Country / Economy | Afghanistan |
||||
| Project Status | Proposed | ||||
| Project Type / Modality of Assistance | Grant |
||||
| Source of Funding / Amount |
|
||||
| Strategic Agendas | Environmentally sustainable growth Inclusive economic growth Regional integration |
||||
| Drivers of Change | Gender Equity and Mainstreaming Partnerships |
||||
| Sector / Subsector | Transport / Road transport (non-urban) |
||||
| Gender | Some gender elements | ||||
| Description | The proposed project will finance the construction of 85 kilometer (km) of road section in southeastern Afghanistan from Zeyart Haji (Sapary) to Mimla (Jalalabad) which is the middle section of the Kabul to Jalalabad alternative road and among the nation's strategic economic corridorsthe lifeline of Afghanistan export and import through Karachi, Pakistan. The road section is also part of the key corridors under the Central Asia Regional Economic Cooperation (CAREC) Program. This is the second attempt to complete this road section and will be using the fragile and conflict-affected situation (FCAS) approach by providing opportunities for greater participation of national contractors and consultants, facilitating community engagement through community development programs, and flexible security provision to the contractors. | ||||
| Project Rationale and Linkage to Country/Regional Strategy | The road link is strategically important, as it passes through the hinterlands (districts of Khogyani, Sherzad, and Hesarak) of Nagarhar and Kabul provinces, one of Afghanistan's poorest, remote, and unsecure regions. From 20172018, the Nangarhar province accounted for 21.9% of the repatriated Afghan migrants from neighboring Pakistan and Iran, and hosts 5.6% of the total population of Afghanistan. Further, it accounts for nearly 8% of the students (of which 36% are female) enrolled in government schools, and about 9% of the basic health facilities of the country. The current road is gravel (dirt track), while most bridges are damaged or non-existent resulting to travel being limited mainly to summer months. The proposed project, when completed, will be an alternative all weather road for traffic of the existing KabulJalalabad highway (AH1). The road will have no city stops in between facilitating smoother traffic flow to Kabul and to the Ring Road bypassing Kabul City. In addition, the road is part of the CAREC Corridors 5 and 6 linking Central Asia to Pakistan. The proposed project is expected to lessen the daily traffic along KabulJalalabad road (AH1) by 50%60% which is currently overstretched with the number of vehicles rising fast. Since 2015, a 2.6% average increase in total number vehicles (mainly trucks, motorcycles, and buses) in Afghanistan was noted in 2018. Increases are on the roads. As per vehicle counts, in 2019 the annual average daily traffic (AADT) increased threefold to 10,314 from 2,792 in 2007. In 20172018, nearly 41.9% of exports and imports from Afghanistan is with Pakistan, and the Kabul to Jalalabad road forms the key lifeline of Afghanistan's export/import through Karachi. |
||||
| Impact | International trade in and through southeast Afghanistan increased (Afghanistan Transport Sector Master Plan Update 20172036). |
||||
| Outcome | An efficient road network in southeastern Afghanistan developed |
||||
| Outputs | 85km section of the Kabul to Jalalabad alterative road reconstructed Community infrastructure facilities for nearly 64 local communities along the road alignment MOT project implementation capacity strengthened |
||||
| Geographical Location | |||||
| Safeguard Categories | |
|---|---|
| Environment | B |
| Involuntary Resettlement | A |
| Indigenous Peoples | C |
| Summary of Environmental and Social Aspects | |
|---|---|
| Environmental Aspects | MOT will work closely with the Ministry of Disaster Management and Humanitarian Affairs as well as the National Environmental Protection Agency. The project road will follow the existing dirt track's alignment, so the environmental impacts are expected to be minimal. The initial environmental examination prepared for 150km of section prepared in 2010 was updated in accordance with ADB's SPS, and was disclosed on XX July 2019. The baseline surveys on air, water, vibration and noise will be done prior to the construction by the contractor due to limited access to the area and security restrictions at present. The project will result in short term, site specific environmental impacts during the construction phase mainly related with soil erosion, deterioration of air quality, generation of noise and vibration, waste streams as well as occupational and community health and safety risks and cutting of trees. Some impacts are also anticipated during the operation phase. These are related with noise generation and air emissions due to traffic flow on the new road. Adequate mitigation measures are included in, and will be implemented through, an environmental management plan (EMP). Noise and emissions from the increased traffic volume will be minimized by vehicle speed controls in where it crosses any villages as well as adequate design of the roadway. The environmental management plan stipulates that capacity development be provided through training workshops before and during construction. Public Consultations have also been carried out as part of the IEE study. This process will continue to happen prior to and during the construction. The proposed subprojects under the community development component (output 2) will be screened by the PMO. The proposals that will cause any impacts on the environment (category B or A) will not be considered. An Environmental Assessment and Review Framework (EARF) has also been prepared for this purpose. |
| Involuntary Resettlement | Most of the road improvement work will be carried out within the existing right-of-way. For the 85 km road section project will require the acquisition of 21.95 hectares of agricultural (irrigated and non-irrigated) and 6.0 hectares of residential and commercial land, and will have an impact on 60,000 square meters of primary and secondary residential and commercial structures. It is estimated that 1,495 households (10,465 individuals) will be affected. Of these, 2,675 persons will experience significant impacts, i.e., be displaced from housing or lose 10% or more of their productive assets. Access to the project sites is difficult at this time because of security threats. The draft plans were endorsed by the MOT and disclosed on the ADB website by XX July 2019. Under the ongoing projects, MOT has engaged individual consultants for update the draft LARP and will be fully implemented prior to the award of the contract. To avoid disputes, and in keeping with FCAS principles, the compensation will follow the already completed section of the road. |
| Indigenous Peoples | Communities along the project alignment comprise mainly Pashtuns. These are all mainstreamed into Afghanistan's general society and culture and cannot be considered as indigenous people as defined under ADB's SPS. |
| Stakeholder Communication, Participation, and Consultation | |
| During Project Design | Community involvement and consultation will be carried out during the entire project design stage. |
| During Project Implementation | Community involvement and consultation will be carried out during the entire project implementation stage. |
| Responsible ADB Officer | ADB Disclosure |
| Responsible ADB Department | Central and West Asia Department |
| Responsible ADB Division | Transport and Communications Division, CWRD |
| Timetable | |
|---|---|
| Concept Clearance | 25 Jul 2019 |
| Fact Finding | 10 Jun 2019 to 21 Jun 2019 |
| MRM | 14 Apr 2022 |
| Approval | - |
| Last Review Mission | - |
| Last PDS Update | 19 Jul 2019 |
Project Data Sheets (PDS) contain summary information on the project or program. Because the PDS is a work in progress, some information may not be included in its initial version but will be added as it becomes available. Information about proposed projects is tentative and indicative.
The Access to Information Policy (AIP) recognizes that transparency and accountability are essential to development effectiveness. It establishes the disclosure requirements for documents and information ADB produces or requires to be produced.
The Accountability Mechanism provides a forum where people adversely affected by ADB-assisted projects can voice and seek solutions to their problems and report alleged noncompliance of ADB's operational policies and procedures.
In preparing any country program or strategy, financing any project, or by making any designation of, or reference to, a particular territory or geographic area in this document, the Asian Development Bank does not intend to make any judgments as to the legal or other status of any territory or area.