Kabul Focus

[Bengal_Tiger]

*** NEWS & DISCUSSION RELATED TO KABUL, CAPITAL OF THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF AFGHANISTAN, THE LARGEST NATION IN CENTRAL ASIA ***

Work on Kabul township project to begin soon: Massoud




By

Muhammad Hassan Khetab On Feb 10, 2015 - 17:41

KABUL (Pajhwok): Ahmad Zia Massoud, the president’s special representative for reforms and good governance on Tuesday said that the government was all ready to start work on the New Kabul township project.

During his visit of the township master plan, he said that work on the new township would be launched soon in the wake of a boom in the population in the capital Kabul.

Building a new township with large capacity would help the government to easily address people’s problems, he remarked.

“The new Kabul Township would be constructed on international standards. The location is strategic and the new project can turn into a hub of trade,” Massoud said, adding that the government was prepared for the construction of the township.

Work on the construction of the project was set to begin in April last year, but could not be materialized due to opposition of some influential and violent protests staged by the residents of the locality.

Masood acknowledged that some powerful individual did not want the implementation of the project because it was against their personal interest.

But he assured that the New Kabul Township project would go on and all hurdles would be removed in this connection.

http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2015/02/10/work-kabul-township-project-begin-soon-massoud

[Bengal_Tiger]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Kabul.

[Bengal_Tiger]

[Bengal_Tiger]

New township changes Kabul ring road course

ByAzizullah Hamdard On Feb 14, 2015 - 14:38



KABUL (Pajhwok): The newly-constructed Syed Jamaluddin Afghan Township in the capital Kabul has not only blocked a road earlier used by thousands of people in several areas but also changed the yet to be completed ring road’s course, residents and the Public Works Ministry say.

The township, a 60 million dollars scheme, is being constructed by Memar-i-Shahr Company on a 700-acre of land east of Kabul covering Ahmad Shah Mena, Bathkhak and Kamari areas.

All facilities needed in a residential scheme are being considered like residential apartments, industrial and recreation parks and others.

But residents of Khak-i-Jabar, Patkhak, Qala Muhsin, Weyar Ahmadzai and Mena Abad areas say the township’s construction has not only changed the ring road but closed routes they would use to enter the city. Now they travel a long distance through mountains and remote parts to reach the interior city.

Residents would reach the main city in 10 minutes by vehicles now diverted to a dust road passing through mountains, increasing their journey time to 30 minutes.

A resident of Kala Muhsin area, Dr. Yahya Weyar, said residents for the last 100 years travelled on the road passing in the middle of the new township, but it had been closed now.

“When people travel on the old road, they are not allowed by the township guards who demand money. Patients are the worst sufferers,” Dr. Weyar told Pajhwok Afghan News.

Kabul provincial council member Mohammad Zahid Ahmadzai said they had held several meetings with the township officials, who had promised construction of the dust road. But the road was yet to be constructed while the previous road had been closed, he said.

“Local people will defend their land plots from being usurped, they will not allow a meter of their property to be taken away or roads closed on them,” he said and warned of protests and said the government would be held responsible for any consequences.

A survey by the Ministry of Public Works in 2010 shows the township’s plan was not shared with the ministry at the time. There was no mention of Syed Jamaluddin township when a survey for the city’s ring road was carried out.

Deputy Public Works Minister Noor Gul Mangal said the ministry would not change the route of the ring road because it could destroy residential buildings of residents and would double the project’s cost.

He said the ring road was one important national development projects to reduce environmental pollution and traffic hazards.

He said Public Works Ministry engineers were busy resurveying the ring road and hoped a section of the project would be completed this solar year that ends on March 21.

The 95-kilometer ring road is estimated to cost $300 million, a joint venture of Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Islamic Bank.

Memar-i-Shahr company marketing director, Abdul Wali Ahmadyan, said the township project had been approved by the Kabul Municipality and the Ministry of Urban Development. The foundation stone of the project was laid in the presence of Kabul governor.

“I don’t know what is the problem of local residents. We asphalted the road they wanted to use, but we don’t know what else they want,” he said.

Ahmadyan said the road did not belong to the township only, but to all residents and there were no restrictions to use it.

“The only problem is the lack of coordination between government departments. Even tiny imperfections not exist in the township project, which the municipality has already approved,” he said.

Kabul Municipality designs and implementation head, Mohammad Yasin Niazai, confirmed they had approved the township, which he said was designed in accordance with the city master plan. But he did not provide details about problems resulting from the project.

According to a document with Memar-i-Shahr company, the Ministry of Public Works is planning to cross the ring road in the middle of the Syed Jamaluddin Afghan Township, which is against the agreement the Kabul municipality had signed.

The construction company officials say crossing the ring road through the township would cause heavy losses to the company.

But Dr. Yahya Weyar claimed the land currently used for the township had been previously allocated for an industrial park.

Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA) and the Urban Development Ministry did not provide clear information about the construction of the proposed industrial park in the area.

mds/ma

http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2015/02/14/new-township-changes-kabul-ring-road-course

[Bengal_Tiger]

House in Kabul.



Garden of the presidential palace.



Swimming pool in Kabul.



Qargha lake, Kabul.





Kabul at night.

[Bengal_Tiger]

Pizza wins the battle for food in Kabul





Post

BY SAYER ZALAND PUBLISHED 2014-04-01 | 11:04:00 453 Print | Email
Related


There is no dearth of sumptuous food in the extravagant Afghan feast, but youth in Kabul swear their allegiance for pizzas, boosting the revenues of local restaurants

For centuries, Afghan food has been greatly influenced by Persian, Chinese, Indian and Mediterranean cultures. Kabuli Pulao has the distinction of being the flagship dish in the extravagant Afghan cuisine.

Kebabs made of lamb meat are also a favorite for many foodies. Sumptuous qorma, mantu and shorma complete the delicious Afghan feast.

But, it is the pizza that wins the battle for food among Afghans. Many restaurants have mushroomed across the Kabul city serving pizzas of wide variety. These food outlets are thronged by a large number of people, who chose to have pizza over purely Afghan delicacies. “Pizza wins the battle quite convincingly, it is the favorite food for new-generation Afghans,” says Karimullah Wajdi, a pizza lover.


Tolo Restaurant in Shahr-e-Naw attracts hundreds of guests each day, and most of them like to gorge on hot and spicy pizzas


Tolo Restaurant in Shahr-e-Naw attracts hundreds of guests each day, and most of them like to gorge on hot and spicy pizzas.

Rafiullah Roshan, who is a regular here, says pizza at Tolo has an exquisite taste. Roshan usually comes here with friends to have their favorite food. A small pizza for a single person costs 250 Afs. “The price of a family Pizza is 750 Afs at Tolo and with beverages it becomes 1,000 Afs, which is not a big burden on pocket,” says a waiter at Tolo.

He says the people coming to restaurant mostly order pizzas. On an average, they serve nearly 500 guests each day, and there is a separate enclosure for families.

The three storey restaurant, which has become popular for pizzas, is located in Shahr e Naw, the bustling urban center of Kabul,.

“It is a great place to have pizzas, and staff is very polite, wearing neat red color uniforms,” says Mohammad Tamim, a customer.
It seems the craze for pizzas is here to stay.

- See more at: http://www.afghanzariza.com/2014/04/....xRh1zfKs.dpuf

[Bengal_Tiger]

A book store in Kabul.



Mosque in Kabul.




Commemorating the anniversary of an Afghan publication.



Dance in Kabul.



Shehr e Naw, Kabul.

[Bengal_Tiger]

[Bengal_Tiger]

Restaurant in Kabul (Serena Hotel).






Kabul star hotel restaurant.

[Bengal_Tiger]

[Bengal_Tiger]

[IMG]...

So it seems like this summer it will be [MENTION=44]Dukemina[/MENTION] driving around in the streets of Kabul in some big jeep or 4 x 4...

as well as acting like a real American pie Yankee and eating Pizza in the hippest Kabul restaurants.

[Kushan Prince]

But this is just Kabul. The rest of the cities in the country don't like anything like this since they are more poor and less important. I can see the development of Kabul being a priority since its the capital of Afghanistan but once more minerals are sold, the profit should be used to develop other major cities, especially Kandahar.

[marwat]

but this only shows the corruption

[Bengal_Tiger]

but this only shows the corruption

Yes, but there's corruption every where including Bangladesh, Saudi and even America and Britain.

It does show that contrary to popular imagination that Afghanistan is not just about Taliban, "Kite Runner" and other negative stereotypes. That's one of the main purposes of this thread.