Aid in Action

First Airstrip in Zabul Province

First airstrip in Zabul Province opens gateway to development

Qalat, Zabul Province | Friday, September 01, 2006

Jennifer Ragland USAID/PRT

PRT Air is the first flight to take off from the newly constructed airstrip in Qalat.

The completion of the first airstrip in Zabul Province will provide a gateway to further development, economic growth, and communication links for the province. The first flight on the new airstrip from Qalat to Kabul was “PRT Air”, an air charter serving a broad range of organizations working on development issues in Afghanistan. PRT Air will continue to have scheduled flights twice a week.

The airstrip is located next to Zabul's main Afghan National Army compound. The Afghan National Army will eventually become the operator of the airfield. UNOPS was the implementer for the construction and the construction firm, Ubique, was the contractor. One-hundred and twelve Afghan workers were employed to construct the airstrip and another 64 Afghans were employed as security.

This United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded project was completed in mid-September 2006.

Learn more: Infrastructure

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