India hands over strategic Zaranj-Delaram highway to Afghan

Ajay Kaul

Delaram (South Afghanistan), Jan 22 (PTI) Reflecting the
determination to carry on development work in war-ravaged Afghanistan, India Thursday handed over the strategic Delaram-
Zaranj highway built by it braving frequent Taliban attacks in
which some Indians were also killed.

Built at a cost of Rs 600 crore, the 215-km long highway,
a symbol of India's developmental work in this country, was
handed over to Afghan authorities by External Affairs Minister
Pranab Mukherjee in the presence of Afghan President Hamid
Karzai and Foreign Minister Rangin Dadfar Spanta.

"The completion of the road reflects the determination of
both India and Afghanistan that nothing can prevent or hinder
collaboration between the two countries," Mukherjee said at a
function to mark the handover of the highway.

Karzai said the completion of the project, which opens a
shorter alternative route connecting Kabul to Iran, is a
message to those who want to stop cooperation between India
and Afghanistan. "Our cooperation will not stop," he said.

The highway provides India easy and alternate access for
its goods to Afghanistan via Iran. This is significant because
Pakistan has been denying transit facility to India for
Afghanistan through its territory.

The Taliban was opposed to this project and launched
frequent attacks on the construction workers. A total of six
Indians, including a Border Roads Organisation driver and four
ITBP soldiers, and 129 Afghans were killed in these attacks.

"Our project personnel did face many challenges in the
implementation of the project... in effect one human sacrifice
was made for every kilometre and a half constructed,"
Mukherjee said, describing the completion of the project as "a
glowing example" of the India-Afghanistan cooperation.

Paying homage to those who made the "supreme sacrifice"
during the construction of the highway, Mukherjee said "I do
believe that their blood was not shed in vain.

"Their sacrifice will fortify the foundation of
India-Afghanistan friendship and that spirit will motivate us
to usher in our future cooperation," he said.

He said the project will further regional cooperation by
encouraging new trade and transit through Iranian ports and a
supplementary access of Afghanistan to the sea, he said.

Besides the highway, Mukherjee said, India constructed 58
kms of inner city roads in Afghanistan.

Compare to the cost of other roads built in Afghanistan,
the total cost of the highway project was modest, he said.

The project was initially estimated to cost Rs 740 crore
but the Border Roads Organisation completed it in Rs 600 crore
and six months ahead of schedule, the General Manager of the
BRO project, Brig N R K Babu, said.

The 339 engineers of the BRO completed in three years the
construction of the highway.

The presence of Mukherjee and Karzai at the event
reflects the significance attached to the highway, which links
Kabul with Iran and ultimately to the Chabahar port.

When referred to attempts to disrupt construction of the
road, Karzai said "the attempts had failed due to the
commitment to complete the project."

"This road means a great deal for Afghanistan," he said.

Due to construction of the black top road, the journey
between Delaram and Zaranj will be reduced substantially from
12-14 hours to two hours.

Mukherjee yesterday discussed cooperation in the field of
security and developmental projects with Karzai and Spanta.

After the meetings, Spanta said both the countries face
"same terrorism from the same source", apparently referring to
Pakistan which he did not name. PTI AKK