Site Visit Report: Andkhoy Bus Terminal Construction

The project aims to address the problem of traffic jams in the municipality by constructing a bus terminal and a parking lot. The direct beneficiaries of the project are the entire population of Andkhoy Municipality, including an estimated 500 passengers from Andkhoy and neighboring provinces who will use the bus terminal on a daily basis. The project involves the construction of a bus terminal, a waiting hall, sidewalks, and drainage systems, as well as the installation of a water well and the construction of shops and a restaurant. USAID's budget contribution includes site preparation, boundary wall construction, bus station construction, waiting hall construction, and sidewalk and drainage construction. The Andkhoy Municipality's contribution includes the construction of cabins latrine, water well, and shops. The construction of the bus terminal was intended to improve communication and relationships between the Mayor/municipal officials and citizens, improve the participation of citizens in decision-making processes, and increase the level of service delivery in terms of bus terminals. The project also aims to improve public health and the cleanliness of the environment for travelers using the bus terminal, reduce traffic congestion and traffic accidents, and increase revenue generation and the sustainability of municipal service delivery. On November 09, 2013, two engineers from Tetra Tech's Afghanistan Engineering Support Program reviewed the project documentation and traveled to Andkhoy/Faryab province to evaluate the visible completed works. The engineers were accompanied by a DAI site engineer during the site evaluation. The findings of this site observation are presented in the following sections. The site visit revealed that the construction of the bus terminal is ongoing, with some works completed. The boundary wall has been constructed, and the bus station and waiting hall are under construction. The installation of the water well has been completed, and the construction of shops and a restaurant is ongoing. However, some issues were observed, including the presence of cracks in the boundary wall, uneven leveling of the site, and incomplete installation of the drainage system. The engineers also observed that the construction of the bus terminal is not yet complete, with some works remaining to be done. The project documentation indicates that the construction of the bus terminal is expected to be completed within a certain timeframe, but the exact completion date is not specified. The engineers recommended that the project be completed as soon as possible to ensure that the benefits of the project are realized by the beneficiaries. The Andkhoy Bus Terminal Construction project is a significant initiative aimed at improving the lives of the people of Andkhoy Municipality. The project has the potential to improve communication and relationships between the Mayor/municipal officials and citizens, improve the participation of citizens in decision-making processes, and increase the level of service delivery in terms of bus terminals. However, the project faces some challenges, including the presence of cracks in the boundary wall, uneven leveling of the site, and incomplete installation of the drainage system.