Kabul has decided to acquire land for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India (TAPI) gas pipeline project and is ready to begin the practical implementation of the construction of the Afghan section of the gas pipeline, reports the Afghan publication TOLOnews.

 As stated by the press secretary of the Ministry of Mining and Petroleum, Homayoun Afghan, “security is now ensured in the country, and Kabul has decided to acquire land for the TAPI project,” the publication writes.

 Noting the great contribution of Turkmenistan to the promotion of this transnational project in Afghanistan, Homayoun Afghan confirmed the country’s readiness to begin work on its practical implementation.  “And if no alternative is found, we are ready to support ourselves,” TOLOnews quotes a ministry representative.

 The project to build the TAPI gas pipeline with a capacity of 33 billion cubic meters of gas per year in Afghanistan is regarded as one of the most important projects for the economic development of the country and the creation of new jobs for the population.

 The TAPI gas pipeline route in Afghanistan passes through Herat, Farah, Nimroz, Helmand and Kandahar.  The total length of the pipeline will be 1,814 km, of which about 735 km will pass through the territory of Afghanistan.

 Along with the creation of thousands of additional jobs for the country’s population, the implementation of the TAPI project will provide Afghanistan with significant profits from the transit of “blue fuel”.

 Construction of the Turkmen section of the TAPI gas pipeline started in December 2015 and is now almost completed.

 The closed joint stock company “TAPI Pipeline Company” for the construction and operation of this gas pipeline includes the State Concern “Turkmengas”, the Afghan Gas Corporation, the Pakistani company Inter State Gas Systems (Private) Limited and the Indian GAIL.

 Measures aimed at accelerating the practical implementation of the TAPI project are also being taken in Pakistan.  In June this year, the Federal Cabinet of Pakistan approved the Joint Implementation Plan for the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India Gas Pipeline Project.  This decision is aimed at accelerating the completion of the feasibility study of the project and the transition to the construction phase of the gas pipeline.