Some of those involved in the construction of joint-venture housing projects, speaking to the Hasht-e Subh Daily, have expressed concern about the quality of these buildings in the absence of serious and professional oversight. They claim that the Taliban-run Kabul Municipality, while supervising these projects, accepts bribes and overlooks the standards set out in the memorandums of understanding, allowing the construction companies to work as they please. According to these sources, in addition to the failure to observe engineering standards, the privacy of neighboring homes and the environmental consequences of the process are also being ignored. They warn that if this situation continues, along with worsening water shortages and rising air pollution, it could have disastrous consequences for the future of Kabul.
One of those involved in the process told the Hasht-e Subh Daily: “Most of the houses in joint-venture housing projects are built with poor quality. The rebar and cement specified in the contract are not used, and the quantities are reduced. These buildings are not constructed according to engineering standards because the companies bribe district heads and building inspectors. The landowner is wronged, because wherever he turns, his voice is not heard, and he is even threatened by the district.”
The person, who does not want his name mentioned in the report, said: “If the plan specifies 16 millimeter rebar, the companies use 14 millimeter rebar or reduce the number of bars. They use raw gravel and cheap sand that contains soil. While concrete should be watered for at least 10 days, these companies do not water it even for three days. A nine-story building with two residential units on each floor has 18 units in total, and tomorrow up to 300 people may live in it. The lives of these people are at risk because the building may subside even without an earthquake, since the foundations of the building are very weak. God forbid, if a strong earthquake occurs, these houses will take the lives of thousands of people.”
This person, who had been responsible for supervising one of the joint-venture housing projects, added: “I was supervising one of these projects, but I could not stand up to the company, because it has money and the support of the district. I was responsible for supervising the project on behalf of the landowner, but the district put pressure on us, and no one listened to our voices. We even went to the Taliban’s Ministry for the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (MPVPV) to file a complaint, but still no one listened to us.”
Another source said: “The companies design showy, fashionable, and luxurious works and attract people’s attention, but the structure of the repairs is not up to standard; engineering principles are trampled, because the companies do not work according to standards and they bribe everyone. Corruption in joint-venture housing has reached its peak. The Directorate for Building Control, the issuers of permits, and the district heads are involved in corruption with the company. The companies do not even pay their workers’ wages easily. Joint-venture housing has taken on the shape of a mafia. The Taliban and the companies commit an unforgivable betrayal against the people.”
Another source said: “The companies attract people’s attention by carrying out showy works and fashionable, luxurious designs, but the structural frames of the buildings are substandard and engineering principles are violated, because the companies do not work according to the established standards and they bribe everyone. Corruption in joint-venture housing has reached its peak. The Directorate for Building Control, the officials in charge of issuing permits, and the district heads are involved in corruption with the companies. The companies do not even pay their workers’ wages easily. Joint-venture housing has taken on the shape of a mafia. The Taliban and the companies commit an unforgivable betrayal against the people.”
This source, who has himself supervised the construction of buildings, said: “For example, if a thousand bags of cement are needed for a foundation, the company uses around 700 to 800 bags. I say with certainty that these houses have no resilience against earthquakes and natural disasters.”
Meanwhile, a review of some videos and images examined during the preparation of this report, together with confirmation from supervisors, shows that the required standards have not been met in some projects. According to them, while the documents and plans specify 20-millimeter rebar, in practice 16-millimeter rebar has been used.
The sources also confirm that the conduct of these companies has led to legal disputes, and many of these cases are currently being examined in Taliban courts in Kabul. According to these sources, widespread corruption also exists in the handling of these cases, and Taliban judges demand large sums of money from the companies and the parties involved in order to settle cases in favor of one of the sides.
At the same time, the growth in commercial advertising and the expansion of construction activity in this process have also met with a reaction from citizens. A number of those involved in the process and people who have examined the sites closely say that this sector has fallen into the hands of non-professionals and that most activities proceed based on personal interests. According to them, insufficient attention is paid in this process to construction standards and modern norms.
Ahmad (pseudonym) said: “In many cases, expertise and experience have given way to money and connections. Construction can pave the way for development and stability, but the current situation has largely taken on a mafia-like and commercial form, and standards are not taken into account. People who need housing are also drawn by colorful designs and become eager to own a home as soon as possible, but they give less thought to the long-term consequences.”
One social media user wrote in response: “This work is baseless, and the majority have regretted it. Poor quality apartments were handed over. He has completed six floors in two months. Is that standard from an engineering point of view? I am astonished at the speed of the work.”
Some other citizens described the construction process as worrying and said that the privacy of people’s homes is being violated in the process, and that those who do not want to engage in such work are left living beneath these buildings.
A Kabul resident said: “Most of this work is done in residential areas and violates the privacy of neighbors. The buildings keep getting taller, and residential houses lose their privacy.”
Another Kabul resident said: “Joint-venture housing in Kabul means ruin. Water resources are shrinking day by day, and each of these buildings doubles air pollution by switching on its central heating. No one is thinking about the city, and everyone is only after their own immediate gains. The people are not against prosperity and development; they want everything to proceed according to standards and in line with the capacity of the land and natural resources.”
Meanwhile, a number of Kabul residents regard joint-venture housing as a positive step toward providing housing and believe that disagreements with the Taliban should not mean opposition to construction in the country. In their view, people can become owners of their luxurious, dream homes at low cost, and this process should be supported. However, environmental experts and specialists have also warned about the continuation of this situation and stress that no city should be developed outside the established construction standards.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
شریکآباد؛ ساختوسازهای بیکیفیت که بار کابل را سنگینتر میکنند
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