FAIZABAD (PAN): Hundreds of development projects such as pavement of Faizabad- Kishm Road are one of the biggest projects, which have been implemented in Badakhshan province over the few past years.
Abdul Maruf Rasikh, spokesperson of Badakhshan governor says that the main developments projects in Badakhshan include construction of roads, dams, supply of drinking water, solar electricity, clinics, retaining walls and construction of school buildings.
According to him, the projects have been implemented by different sectors such as agriculture, public welfare, women Affairs, Labor and Social affairs, Howza-e-Deryaye, Transport, Municipality, Education, Public Health and High Peace Council departments.
“Implementation of the projects has brought positive changes in life of the people,” he added.
He said that other projects had been planning by the mentioned departments and upon the implementation of the projects the remaining problems would be resolved as well.
Badakhshan authorities say that gravelling of Kishm-Faizabad Road is one of the infrastructural and important projects that have flourished business.
Work on the road, more than 100-kilometres was started in 2009 with the cost of $128 million with the financial assistance extended by the USAID and ended in 2010.
The USAID says that the road has nine bridges and 600 culverts; and travel time between Faizabad (Badakhshan Center) and Kishm district have been reduced from seven and a half hours to an hour and a half.
As many as 1,600 vehicles traffic daily on the road and have paid the way for development of businesses, education and healthcare services in the region.
The road has reduced transportation expenses remarkably and goods and products reach faster than ever before to markets. The roads have resulted in increment of businesses opportunities such as construction of gas stations, shops and residential houses in the region.
The local authorities consider the road a remarkable development in life of the people.
Gada Jan, a fruit seller in Kishm district says: “The road was unpaved in the past and we used to get out off car and walked a distance.”
According to him, some time floods and landslides blocked the road especially in the winter. 
He said during the past, they traveled with much hardship by car but currently they transport vegetables and fruits in a right time to Faizabad city while trucks stayed on the way for two or one night and fruits and vegetables perished and the shopkeepers sustained losses.
He said when the road was destroyed, the transportation fare of one carton fruit (21 kilos) was 50 afghanis but now it is 10 afghanis. Passenger fare is also has reduced considerably.
Maulvi Abdul Wahid Tayyabi, head of Badakhshan Provincial Council expresses satisfaction over reconstruction process in Badakhshan in recent years but says the remote areas of the province have no access to healthcare services.
Lack of healthcare services and lack of interests of institutes in the areas is considered a kind of inattention to Badakhshan. “If the situation continues with such rate, the problems of far-flung areas would increase.”
The head of the council who recently had visited the Wakhan district said that three years ago health center was built in the center of Wakhan district with the cost of $ 440,000 but was destroyed partially due to low quality of construction materials and now has only one nurse without any pharmacy.
No project has been implemented in Wakhan district. The district has 32,000 population and shares border with Kofab district and Tajikistan.
According to him, the government and the donors have paid more attention to Faizabad, capital center of Badakhshan than other districts and most construction projects have been implemented in the city.
According to him Badakhshan People need, bridges, culverts, rehabilitation of electricity supply networks, expansion of airport and its facilities, construction of roads in border districts, construction of industrial parks, rehabilitation of jungles, development of women handicrafts, strengthening of Kokcha river banks, construction of school buildings and supply of drinking water.
Lack of cold storages, employment programs for youth and gaveling of villages’ roads were the main problem of the people, he added.
“In case of having accessibility to the needs, the rate of poverty and insecurity will decrease as well,” he said.
Enayatullah, a resident of Faizabad city said: “Changes seen in life of the people and job opportunities has been created for most individuals through implementation of construction projects.”
He said people of Badakhshan are engaged in NSP projects which have been done by the ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.
“Thousands of individuals in the past were in need of livelihood but now they have access to the required facilities and the level of their economy has enhanced,” he added.
It merit mention that Germany is one of the main donors in Afghanistan that has implemented reconstruction projects in Badakhshan and a number of its soldiers, in the frame of ISAF, were functioning in the province.
German Embassy has announced 430 million euros for reconstruction projects in northern and northeastern provinces including Badakhshan after 2014.
Other German Projects include hydropower which has benefited more than 620,000 individuals in Yaftal Payen district of Badakhshan.
Amanullah Ghalib, deputy of Badakhshan electricity department says one hydropower dam with the capacity of 280 kilowatts in Farghambul area and another one with capacity of 125 Kilowatts were inaugurated in Nalan area.
He said 28 villages with population of 62,000 individuals had been benefited from the power.
GIZ authorities say that the total cost of the two projects exceeds 2.3 million Euros, adding the projects have been planned by German Cooperation and Economic Development Ministry and have been implemented by Afghanistan Water and Energy Ministry.