Aug. 2014

$4,936,808

Status Unknown

Kandahar

RC-South

Project Description

No project description provided.

Project Goals

The main road from the Horn of Panjwai, through the District of Panjwai, and into Kandahar City is Route Hyena. In early 2010 the elders of Panjwai District spoke with General McChrystal and asked for a paved road running from Bazaar-E-Panjwai to Mushan. On 11 November 2010 they formally petitioned the Panjwai District Shura to pave the existing dirt road known as Route Hyena. The District Governor supported the petition and requested support from Task Force Kandahar. West of Bazaar-E-Panjwai (BeP), this road was a narrow dirt track which decreased in quality as it went west. Much of this dirt track was difficult for civilian vehicles traverse, and was subject to frequent IED attacks. The track became to wet during the rainy season and subsequent irrigation season that it was essentially impassable. This often led to western Panjwai being cut off from the Panjwai District Center and Kandahar Provincial Center. Adverse road conditions prevent local villages from accessing health care, markets for their produce, the police and justice system, or representation and connection with the government of the district. Additionally, the economic and physical isolation of people living in the Horn of Panjawai has continued to make them susceptible to insurgent influence. 

From January until June 2011, Task Force Kandahar constructed a four-season, two-lane, military load, class 60 gravel road from Sperwan to Mushan. At the same time, they upgraded and paved the road from BeP to Sperwan. As construction of the gravel road towards Mushan progressed, Task Force Kandahar paved the portion from Sperwan to GRID 41R QQ 23415 85720 where Route Hyena intersects with Route Vernon. Task Force Kandahar was unable to finish paving the final stretch of Route Hyena between Route Vernon and Mushan because of the Canadian Task Force End of Mission. 

This final step is critical in creating a permanent transportation corridor that will break the economic and physical isolation of the Horn of Panjwai. In multiple engagements since the Canadian Task Force End of Mission, elders and government officials alike have requested the completion of this road. Most recently Haji Faizal Mohammad during a Key Leader Engagement on 5 November 2013, the District Government, as well as local elders asked Major General Miller for assistance in completing the road. The Route Hyena Extension project will permit Coalition Forces to finish the road segment reaching from the Horn of Panjwai to Mushan. As this project is not part of the Provincial Development Strategy, and is being conducted on a tertiary road, the District, Provincial, and National Governments are unable to provide funding. Do to the remote location of Mushan and surrounding villages, this area has been historically ignored by GIRoA, and has turned it into a highly disputed area that serves as a bed down and training location, as well as a recruiting site for the insurgency. Completion of this project will give the residents access to markets, government services, reduce the impact of enemy attacks on the population, and enhance the ability of locals to participate in their own governance.

Results

Results unknown.

Updates

No updates provided.