Some passengers traveling along the Kabul-Ghazni Highway complain about the high fares charged by drivers on this route and the extra fees imposed by the Taliban. They claim that the Taliban’s Land Transport Regulation Authority in the province has set specific fares for various minibusses along the Kabul-Ghazni route. However, Taliban personnel stationed at checkpoints collude with drivers to overcharge passengers.
Several passengers on this route confirmed to the Hasht-e Subh Daily that drivers charge double the prescribed fare for each passenger. According to them, Taliban members take their share of the extra money paid by passengers and disregard the set fares.
The Kabul-Ghazni highway is one of the routes near the capital, and passengers traveling along this route pay more to passenger drivers than similar routes closer to the country’s center.
Mortaza, a resident of Ghazni province who works in Kabul, frequently travels between the two cities. He mentions that his family is living in Ghazni province, and he commutes along this route one to two times a week. He adds, “The fare is high on this route, where passengers reach their destination in about two hours. Sometimes nobody charges this much when I travel to the provinces of Paktia, Jalalabad, or Torkham. From Kabul to Ghazni or vice versa, while traveling with Taxi, they charge 500 Afghanis, while the distance from Kabul to Torkham is almost twice that of Kabul to Ghazni, yet I have traveled for 400 Afghanis.”
Mohammad Jawid also occasionally travels along this route. He also complains about the high fares of taxis on this route. Jawid says, “The fare is high. In a booth left by the Transportation Authority, the fare for one person in a Corolla model taxi is written as 270 Afghanis, but drivers charge 450 to 500 Afghanis, and no one questions it.”
However, one of the drivers on this route, who prefers to remain anonymous, says that based on various Taliban tariffs, they are forced to charge passengers higher fares than the set rates to cover their expenses. He confirms, “It’s true that we charge a bit more than what’s set.” Referring to Taliban tariffs, the driver adds, “We are officially charged money in three places. Municipal Fees, Transport, the toll booth, and one booth of the Taliban at each bus station. They collect 100 Afghanis from each bus that fills up, and the union of minibus drivers also collects separate money. Fuel is expensive too. Where do we pay all this money from?” He also confirms that the representatives of the Taliban’s Land Transport Regulation Authority ignore the extra charges from drivers in exchange for receiving 100 Afghanis from each passenger vehicle.
It is noteworthy that the Taliban recently dismissed all officials of the Drivers’ Union Office and replaced them with their own individuals.
Additionally, the Taliban have officially appointed three other individuals at checkpoints to control and prevent overcharging, yet these individuals engage in corruption themselves.
The Kabul-Ghazni highway covers nearly 130 kilometers. Reconstruction of certain sections has shortened travel time along this route to less than two hours, making journeys less arduous and lengthy.
Reportedly, the Kabul-Ghazni station hosts 400 registered Corolla Model Taxis, which commute daily along this route. Additionally, dozens of other types of passenger vehicles transport passengers along this route.
