Salang Highway Closed Indefinitely Amid Severe Winter Conditions; Travelers Urged to Avoid Travel

KABUL, 25.01.2025 – The vital Salang Highway, a crucial artery connecting Kabul to Afghanistan’s northern provinces, remains closed to all traffic as authorities contend with severe winter weather. The reopening timeline is uncertain due to ongoing heavy snowfall, intense winds, and hazardous conditions.

Mohammad Ashraf Haqshenas, spokesman for the Ministry of Public Works (MoPW), confirmed the continued closure in a social media update on Sunday. He reported that the busy transit corridor was temporarily closed for all vehicle types following a significant winter storm that brought heavy snowfalls, strong gusts, and critically poor visibility to the high-altitude pass.

“The Protection and Maintenance Department mobilized its teams and began snow-clearing operations along critical sections of the highway two days ago, and work is ongoing around the clock,” Haqshenas stated.

However, he emphasized that the scale of the challenge is significant. “The considerable depth of accumulated snow, compounded by persistent strong winds and continuing adverse weather, has hampered progress and delayed the highway’s reopening. Safety is our paramount concern.”

The closure of the Salang Highway disrupts a key logistics and travel route, impacting commercial transport, supply chains, and inter-provincial movement. The pass is notoriously vulnerable to avalanches and blockages during the winter months, often requiring coordinated efforts to clear and secure.

Authorities have issued a firm advisory, urging all citizens and drivers to avoid travel on the route until an official reopening notice is provided by the Ministry. “We strongly advise the public to heed this warning and refrain from attempting to use the highway until we confirm it is safe and fully cleared,” Haqshenas added.

Travelers are advised to monitor official channels of the Ministry of Public Works for updates on the clearing operation’s progress and the anticipated reopening. Alternative routes are extremely limited, underscoring the importance of the Salang link for national connectivity.

The ministry has assured the public that crews are working diligently to restore access, but cautioned that the pace of work remains subject to weather conditions.

 

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